Quite Bizarre Potter decision | Summerville stand-in can’t get a look-in. Despite Crysencio Summerville’s long term injury and the team’s lack of pace, Graham Potter has sometimes opted to play slow and steady Carlos Soler out of position on the left, leaving many puzzled as to why young Brazilian prodigy, Luis Guilherme hasn’t been given more minutes in what would be his natural left sided position.
Having joined West Ham in the summer of 2024, it was reported at the time by the Athletic that West Ham had fought off interest from Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Chelsea to secure the signing. Fabrizio Romano even revealed in July 2023 that Manchester United had been actively scouting the player.
Despite barely getting any game time for West Ham this season, there was notable interest in the January transfer window from Portuguese heavyweights Porto and Sporting Lisbon, as well as Feyenoord, Shakhtar Donetsk and Brazilian side Flamengo who were reportedly on the verge of signing the player for £19m – a deal that would have allowed West Ham to recoup what they paid for him, yet this was blocked by Graham Potter, which makes his non-appearance even more puzzling in Summerville’s absence, being that he is a ready-made stand in for the injured Dutchman.
Earlier in the window, Saudi club Al Hilal, also made inquiries yet were only willing to offer a fraction of what the Hammers had previously paid.
Guilherme’s lack of playing time has led some West Ham fans to question whether he is not upto to the level expected, which was further fuelled by a senior source earlier in the season, who told Claret and Hugh “He is taking longer to come good, than as first anticipated.”
The young Brazilian has featured in just 7 league matches for West Ham, accumulating only 55 minutes in total, with a cameo 5 minute appearance in West Ham’s FA Cup exit away to Aston Villa.
Guilherme clocked up an impressive 36.4khm/h in 2022, during an Copa do Brazil Sub-17 final against Vasco da Gama, and was widely regarded as one of the top prospects in the world following his senior breakthrough with Palmeiras.
With continued interest from top clubs, this suggests that the 19 year old is highly rated elsewhere, and is likely to be sold-on in the summer once Summerville is recovered – particularly as West Ham need to raise transfer funds through pplayer sales.
