How do West Ham United solve a problem like Luis Guilherme, the £25 million Brazilian superkid who’s debut season in the Premier League is best left forgotten?
Then again, scrubbing it from the memory is the easy bit.
Big things were expected when Luis Guilherme arrived at the London Stadium from Palmeiras last summer. Understandably so.
Paulo Buosi, Palmeiras’ vice-president, claimed at the time that West Ham United had signed an ‘extraordinary boy’ with the potential to enjoy a ‘sensational’ career on the other side of the Atlantic.
One year, one start, and 130 Premier League minutes later, all the excitement which surrounded Guilherme’s summer switch has long since dissipated.
Graham Potter dispelled concerns over Luis Guilherme’s performances on the training pitch back in April, while director Tim Steidten is ‘convinced’ the Brazilian will blossom into an ‘incredibly great’ player in claret and blue.
Right now, however, Steidten’s confidence appears somewhat misplaced. As for Potter, while he did hand Guilherme a first league start against Wolves, that he was replaced at half-time in that game before returning to the bench speaks volumes.
Relegated Southampton and Dutch giants Feyenoord are reportedly interested ahead of the summer transfer window. But if West Ham do sell, they will look to recoup as much of that £25 million investment as is humanly possible.
And that could rule Feyenoord out right off the bat.
West Ham United misfit Luis Guilherme ‘not a priority’ for Feyenoord
Dutch reporter Martijn Krabbendam, speaking on Voetbal International’s Dick Voormekaar Extra podcast, highlights the problems Feyenoord will run into in pursuit of Luis Guilherme.
For one, West Ham’s asking price is likely to be well beyond their current record outlay. The most expensive signing in Feyenoord’s history is currently Sem Steijn, the FC Twente talisman who completed his £8.5 million switch to the 2023 Eredivisie champions on Thursday.
Furthermore, Feyenoord already have one promising left-footed right-winger in the building already in the shape of the tricky Anis Hadj-Moussa.
“The problem with Guilherme is that he is a right-winger,” Krabbendam explains. “They still have Anis Hadj-Moussa there.
“If they want to buy [the West Ham benchwarmer], Feyenoord will have to break their transfer record again. He will come to De Kuip for no less than ten million euros [£8.5m].
“Is Feyenoord prepared to get him, while you have Hadj Moussa who has undergone an incredibly good development? He has also [proven himself] in the Champions League.
“There is interest in him too. If Hadj-Moussa leaves, then [signing Guilherme] could happen.”
Krabbendam adds that, at this stage, Guilherme is ‘not a priority’ for the Dutch giants.
Furthermore, Feyenoord – who recently hired Manchester United and Arsenal icon Robin van Persie as their new head coach – are only looking to sign Guilherme on loan right now. West Ham may prefer to cut ties early, before a bad situation gets any worse.
Tim Steidten still believes in former Palmeiras starlet Guilherme
As Guido Rodriguez closes in on a return to River Plate, as Crysencio Summerville’s season ends prematurely and with the jury still out on Niclas Fullkrug, Jean-Clair Todibo and Max Kilman, a transfer window which appeared promising on paper has aged very badly indeed for Steidten and co.
Luis Guilherme, a £25 million afterthought, already looks destined to join the cavernous pantheon of West Ham flops unless there is an unexpected turnaround just around the corner.
“I’m firmly convinced that Luis Guilherme will be an incredibly great player,” Steidten protested recently, speaking to The Athletic.
“Bringing in a young player was perhaps at the wrong time, in retrospect. But not the wrong player.“
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