West Ham United have not wasted any time in making moves for players in wake of the 2023/24 campaign coming to an end.
The Hammers finished ninth in the Premier League table and missed out on European qualification following two great seasons in Europe.
West Ham have also brought in a new manager, with Julen Lopetegui taking the Hammers reins in wake of David Moyes’ departure.
With that in mind, the West Ham hierarchy will be eager to bolster their ranks and give Lopetegui the best chance of hitting the ground running at the club.
It hasn’t been plain sailing for the Hammers on the transfer front, with a move for Flamengo defender Fabricio Bruno seemingly falling through.
There have also been reports doing the rounds suggesting West Ham were struggling to get a deal for Palmeiras attacker Luis Guilherme over the line.
However, it looks as though the Hammers are back on track with regards to a potential move for the 18-year-old, according to new reports.
For instance, GiveMeSport have reported that ‘a deal is close, despite suggestions it had broken down on Monday’.
The report added that West Ham ‘still fear a late hijack so are rushing to lock Guilherme in’, and that no formal offer has yet been made by Saudi Pro League clubs.
West Ham are allegedly in advanced talks over a deal worth €30million, with Tim Steidten leading talks in Brazil. However, they remain cautious until the paperwork is signed.
Likewise, BBC Sport have reported that a deal is ‘almost done’ despite rumours claiming the attempt to sign Guilherme was in danger of being called off.
Who is West Ham target Luis Guilherme?
It hasn’t been plain sailing, and it’s not over the line, but West Ham certainly seem to be on the right track regarding a move for Luis Guilherme.
The 18-year-old has risen through the Palmeiras ranks and broke into the first-team last year. He has made 44 competitive senior appearances to date for the club.
In 2022, Football Talent Scout‘s Jacek Kulig wrote an in-depth scouting report about Guilherme, giving him a 9 out of 10 potential rating.
Kulig likened Guilherme to former Arsenal ace Henrikh Mkhitaryan and deemed him a “highly technical and creative player” who is “extremely dangerous on the counter” and a “spectacular dribbler”.
Let’s see what happens in the coming weeks, maybe even the coming days. Hopefully it won’t be long before we get that all-important ‘here we go’.