The squad which Nuno Espírito Santo announced for the home fixture against Brentford raised many eyebrows ahead of the game – and dropped jaws after the dreadful performance. Players out of position, second-tier squad players started instead of internationals – and several omitted altogether.
Surprisingly for those who’d watched the training videos during the international break, Luis Guilherme didn’t even make the match day squad. He’d been buzzing around in training and apparently looking good under his head coaches’ tutelage, by all accounts.
Just a few weeks ago, remember, the Brazilian teen was reported as having just a couple of months to prove himself or face a winter departure. His omission from Monday’s match squad would seem to advance the idea that Guilherme has already been judged by the Portuguese head coach and has come up short.
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Just a few brief weeks go under Graham Potter, Guilherme was content and happy with his pre-season:
“I’m very happy with the opportunities the coach is giving me” he told whufc.com:
By contrast now the teenager can’t seem to make it onto the bench.
In a side crying out for any attacking flair – has Nuno already made a judgement on West Hams’ ‘luxury’ teen talent?
With a realistic value in the winter market of some £15 million-plus, West Ham won’t turn a profit on a Guilherme sale but could free-up funds to aid their urgent recruitment needs.
Guilherme has never really been given an opportunity: When Steidten brought the teenager to London he was seen as a ‘luxury’ signing – a ‘punt’ that might come good one day. West Ham in their current situation cannot afford the luxury of waiting a couple of seasons to see if the winger does mature into a top quality Premier League signing.
If he stays absent from the bench come Friday evening, and in the absence of any injury explanation, it’d be a sensible assumption to see his Hammers career as likely about to come to an abrupt end.