West Ham beat some of the biggest clubs in world football to the signature of Brazilian wonderkid Luis Guilherme.
That’s according to The Athletic who reported that scouts from Bayern Munich, Liverpool, and Chelsea have monitored Palmeiras’ latest prodigy, Luis Guilherme, over the past nine months. Real Madrid and Barcelona also showed interest, but it was Tim Steidten, West Ham United’s technical director, who convinced Guilherme to join the east London Premier League club for £25m. The initial fee is €23m, plus €7m in add-ons, with a 20 per cent sell-on clause to Palmeiras.
The revelation in the excellent article in The Athletic is a massive feather in the cap for West Ham and the scouting team which Tim Steidten has established in Brazil. The difference between this deal and the hurried mess which saw the club waste a small fortune on Kalvin Phillips during the January transfer window could not be more stark.
I would encourage any West Ham to go and read the excellent article in full (click here) because some of the interviews with Guilherme’s former coaches leave one in little doubt that West Ham have signed incredible young talent.
“I’m not surprised Guilherme has joined a Premier League club,” says Thiago Ferri, a journalist covering Palmeiras. “There was always the expectation he would go to Europe. His talent suggests he will progress well in the Premier League. He’s fast, great in one-on-one situations, and still improving physically.”
Palmeiras’ youth director, Joao Paulo Sampaio, believes Guilherme has the potential to reach the top of the game, even tipping him as a future Ballon d’Or winner.
Despite his promise, there is a risk in signing an unproven prospect from another country. “Luis was always considered one of the biggest names in the Palmeiras youth academy, along with Endrick and Estevao,” says Ferri. “But he didn’t have the expected impact in the professional team.”
Journalist Camila Alves adds, “Sometimes fans wanted to see Luis play in midfield, where he initially played, but the manager saw him as a forward. He needs to work on his finishing and has sometimes been in Endrick’s shadow. However, West Ham is a right fit for him, and he could develop into a great player over time.”
Steidten’s role in recruiting Guilherme must not be understated and the winger was full of praise for the way the Hammers director of football sold him the vision of the club. Congratulations to everyone for a job well done, next season just got a little more exciting.
Let’s calm down, Gonzo. The article read that those clubs sent scouts, not that they tried to sign him or did anything beyond take a look. What’s left unsaid is that maybe they saw him and decided to pass on him. I really hope Guillerme is a huge player for us, but we need to stop celebrating this like it’s some coup. Hopefully it will be – but we won’t know for a year or two.
You all got it so so wrong, Moyes wouldn’t have played him full stop as he’s too young
Get in there. Hope abounds. Now we need to start working on the new guy’s nickname. Bonzo’s already been taken right ?
Will this be a season to remember? Crocks out, young lads in. If only Moyes had this vision! ⚒️🫧
Moyes would have played him as a rwb lol
No. Moyes played wingers as strikers. Bilic would have played him as a right wing back.