By Conor Hogan

After eighteen months in East London, Luis Guilherme looks set to leave West Ham.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Brazilian has agreed to join Sporting Lisbon in a deal worth around €17 million including add-ons. Guilherme arrived from Palmeiras in June 2024 amid genuine excitement, having previously played alongside highly rated Brazilian prospects Endrick and Estêvão, who went on to secure moves to Real Madrid and Chelsea respectively.

Given the calibre of his peers, Hammers fans believed Guilherme could be a coup: a teenage winger blessed with pace and flair who, in Brazil, appeared to glide past defenders with ease.

However, as has too often been the case with West Ham attackers, supporters never saw the best of him – or much of him at all. Across a season and a half, Guilherme played just 260 minutes for the Irons. Considering he suffered no major injuries, his lack of involvement is surprising, particularly given his £25.5 million price tag.

What is even more surprising is the fact that the Hammers – knowing he perhaps wasn’t first team ready – never loaned him out as they did with Freddie Potts, who is now a regular starter for Nuno Espírito Santo’s side. His reported £30,000-a-week wages may have deterred Championship clubs, but leaving him to stagnate benefitted neither the club nor the player.

Although Guilherme showed great pace and admittedly decent footwork on the pitch for West Ham, there was still a lot missing from his game. His decision-making and positional play in particular let him down, but that is to be expected of a 19-year-old trying to get to grips with Premier League football.

Frankly, this move feels right for all parties, as Nuno appears unlikely to use Guilherme in West Ham’s relegation fight, and the funds recouped can be reinvested in players the manager actually trusts.

Ultimately, Luis Guilherme was a very strange signing for West Ham (but these days, who isn’t?). Former Technical Director Tim Steidten seemed determined to sign a Brazilian prospect during his time in East London, but unfortunately Guilherme was yet another promising arrival that never worked out. 

However, I still wish him the best and hope he finds his feet at Sporting. If previous West Ham departures are anything to go by, he’ll probably be the league’s standout player by May. *Sigh*