Luis Guilherme and Niclas Fullkrug have gone already and, if reports are true and Callum Wilson really is leaving West Ham United after just half a season of Premier League football, Nuno Espirito Santo’s squad could look very different on February 1st.
Speaking ahead of the crucial clash with Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night, Nuno confirmed that more exits are on the cards as the Hammers look to make room for further additions.
Reports emerged yesterday claiming that veteran poacher Callum Wilson is in talks to leave the London Stadium only a few months after joining.
It was always supposed to be a short-term stay. But not quite this short.
What do you think about Luis Guilherme LEAVING West Ham? ✈️ 🇧🇷
Are they giving up on him too soon?
Wilson will have fallen to third in the pecking order, following the additions of Pablo Felipe and Taty Castellanos.
Last weekend, Niclas Fullkrug made his Serie A debut for AC Milan in a 1-0 victory over Cagliari. And Luis Guilherme arrived in Portugal before joining Sporting Lisbon for somewhere in the region of £17 million.
With further additions expected – Charlie Cresswell, Adama Traore, Matheus Bento, Souffian El Karouani and more are all targets – Nuno certainly cannot say he has not been backed in the market as he starts to put his stamp on an underachieving squad.
Sporting coach Rui Borges explains why he signed Luis Guilherme from West Ham United
The feeling in Portugal is that the ex-West Ham benchwarmer is a good fit for Rui Borges’ system at the Estadio Jose Alvalade. Some have suggested he could eventually replace Geovany Quenda, when the wonderkid winger moves to Chelsea at the end of this season.
Rui Borges, speaking ahead of the Taca da Liga clash with Vitoria Guimaraes, would not be drawn on where he sees Guilherme in his XI.
Rather, the coach highlighted the versatility he brings to the table.
“He’s a player we’ve identified; a player for the immediate future but, above all, for the [long-term] future. He’s a young player in whom we see a lot of potential,” says Borges, whose Sporting side are second in the league, seven points behind FC Porto.
“He can play in more than one position. In terms of technical quality but also in terms of character, I think he fits very well with our group and our team.”
Interestingly, Borges points out that West Ham handed Guilherme a role he was not exactly familiar with, having played on the opposite flank back home in Brazil for Palmeiras. Signing a winger for £25 million, one who prefers to play in Jarrod Bowen’s position, was maybe not a great idea in hindsight.
“Regarding his position, [Guilherme’s versatility] something we’ve identified in him,” the Sporting boss adds. “At West Ham, he played more on the left. At Palmeiras, he played more on the right. He was trained as a number ten, so he’s a young player who gives us several solutions in various positions.
“It’s a characteristic of our team, we have several players who can play in multiple positions. Luis Guilherme fits into that aspect.
“He’s a young player who has those very specific characteristics, he can give us those three solutions, but it will take him some time to understand the team’s dynamics. That’s why I say he’ll be a player for now, but more for the future, given his potential, his age, and his quality.”
Where will West Ham v Nottingham Forest be WON and LOST? ⚒️
And who needs to step up?
Guilherme expresses regret over his lack of chances in the Premeir League
When his departure was officially announced a couple of days ago, Luis Guilherme expressed regret that he could not do more to help slow their slide down the league.
Still only 19, the £25 million signing started only two Premier League matches under three different managers.
Considering how long Crysencio Summerville was on the sidelines through injury, one does have to wonder if a succession of West Ham bosses could have done more to integrate the teenager into the first-team picture. Even via a couple more cameo appearances off the bench or the odd start in a domestic cup clash.
Brought in at huge expense, barely used and then discarded a year-and-a-half later.
And the prospect of replacing one so young with Adama Traore – a decade his senior – once again raises questions about the club’s approach to recruitment.
“I arrived at West Ham at a very young age, fulfilling one of my biggest dreams; playing in Europe and in the Premier League, one of the greatest leagues in the world, with my full focus on work,” Guilherme posted on social media.
“Opportunities didn’t always come the way I expected, but dedication, commitment, and focus were never lacking as I continued to grow both as a player and as a man.
“I wish I could have helped more. I wish I could have done more for you, Hammers. But in football, things don’t always go the way we want.
“It’s hard to leave while seeing the club going through a difficult moment, but I’ll be cheering for better days ahead.
“I want to thank everyone for this time together and for all the affection I received. Now I move on to another challenge in my career, taking with me everything I lived here and with the certainty that good things are ahead.
“Grateful for everything. Once a Hammer…”
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