By Toby Cudworth & Ben Jacobs
West Ham United are closing in on the signing of Palmeiras teenager Luis Guilherme, sources have told 90min.
The Hammers have already made their first major move of the summer, appointing Julen Lopetegui as their new head coach, and are now working hard to make 18-year-old Guilherme their first player signing.
A deal worth €30m has been agreed with Palmeiras - €25m in guaranteed money plus a further €5m in bonues - and technical director Tim Steidten is currently in Brazil tying up the final stages of the move.
Documents have already been created with the three-time Copa Libertadores winners and Guilherme's representatives, with the transfer now close to being finalised despite rumours of a late bid from Saudi Arabia.
90min understands that intermediaries reached out to Guilherme's camp offering personal terms worth three times the amount of money tabled by West Ham, but no official move has been made from dealmakers in Saudi Arabia.
West Ham are cautious still of a hijack and are pushing to get the paperwork signed off for a player who has attracted interest from some of Europe's biggest clubs over the past 12 months - 90min revealed in October that Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham and Brighton were among those tracking his progress.
Liverpool have also monitored the progress of Guilherme and took meetings in November, as they bid to strengthen their attacking options. However, the Reds - now under the management of Arne Slot - are prioritising other targets like Leeds United's Crysencio Summerville.
There is concern from West Ham's side that Palmeiras may be holding out for higher offers for Guilherme which is why the club are not yet celebrating the signing the first addition in the post David Moyes era.
Moyes departed West Ham at the end of the 2023/24 season after a hugely successful four-and-a-half-year spell at the London Stadium - his second tenure at the club - yielded Conference League success in 2023, Europa League quarter-final and semi-final appearances, and two top-seven Premier League finishes.
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This article was originally published on 90min.com as West Ham working to conclude Luis Guilherme deal.
