South American football expert Tim Vickery has made a shock claim about a West Ham deal for another Brazilian star.
Tim Steidten’s hard work over in Brazil has started to bear fruit for West Ham.
The Hammers announced the exciting signing of Luis Guilherme from Palmeiras on Thursday.
West Ham are believed to be paying around £25m all in and have included a 20 per cent sell-on clause for the 18-year-old attacking midfield star.
Guilherme is not the only Brazilian who has been linked with a move to West Ham of late.
The Hammers tried to sign Guilherme’s Brazil Under 20 teammate Wesley Gassova and Flamengo’s experienced defender Fabricio Bruno as well as Internacional defender Vitao and Ludogorets forward Seco Cruz.
A move for winger Gassova hit a brick wall while a deal for Bruno was all but done only to collapse at the 11th hour.
In fact transfer reporter Fabrizio Romano was so convinced West Ham had signed Bruno he even gave the move his trademark ‘here we go’ seal.
Steidten on a Samba mission
When the Bruno deal collapsed Steidten turned his attentions to securing Guilherme.
Since that was announced, fresh claims have emerged that West Ham have resurrected the move for Corinthians star Wesley.
But it may not be the only deal that’s back on.
Because Tim Vickery has made a shock claim about a West Ham deal for another Brazilian star.
Earlier this week a journalist Florian Plettenberg revealed the Hammers have been trying to get the Bruno deal back on since it hit the buffers. But he stated West Ham were refusing to bow to his increased pay demands.
Now South American football expert Vickery claims he was told something very interesting indeed when he attended a Flamengo game at the weekend.
Vickery’s shock claim about West Ham deal for Bruno
That the Bruno to West Ham deal could yet be resurrected.
“I was in the stadium watching him on Sunday and talking to people who are much closer to this than I am,” Vickery told the West Ham Network YouTube channel.
“And they were saying it still could happen, it’s not necessarily (dead). They were still expecting him to go on Sunday.
“Although there’s a possibility of Saudi Arabia as well. As I understand it he didn’t think the money he was getting was worthwhile in comparison with what he’s already getting and given the fact that the cost of living in London is higher than the cost of living in Rio.
“Also his wife is quite a few months pregnant now with their second kid and so there’s that (question of) is this the right time to disrupt the family.
“In purely professional terms, I think he’s probably making a mistake (if he doesn’t join West Ham).”
Lopetegui wants two new centre-backs at West Ham
Bruno has been left out of the Brazil squad for the Copa America despite impressing in his first two caps against England and Spain earlier this year.
New West Ham head coach Julen Lopetegui wants to sign two new centre-backs this summer.
Both Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd are up for sale while Angelo Ogbonna followed Thilo Kehrer out of the Hammers exit this summer.
With only Konstantinos Mavropanos, it’s clear to see why Lopetegui is so keen to sign at least two new central defenders.
Bruno is unusual in that he is being targeted for a move to the Premier League at the ripe old age of 28. But West Ham will need some experienced heads and leaders in key positions.
Goodness knows they lacked that last season as West Ham shipped a record 74 goals.
You can check out the full West Ham Network interview with Vickery below.