West Ham United summer signing needs to work away from Julen Lopetegui according to one reporter close to the club.
Julen Lopetegui made nine new signings for West Ham in the summer transfer window.
The huge squad overhaul at the London Stadium was much needed, but the start to the season has been a slow and painful one, as a result of Lopetegui having to integrate so many new players.
There has even been talk of the Spaniard getting the sack if results don’t improve quickly, but he has apparently assured the board that he will turn things around.
Lopetegui has to get his new players gelling together, and he absolutely must settle on a system that he has full faith and conviction in.
The latter may well be easier than the former.
One new arrival is being heavily questioned by many Hammers fans right now.
West Ham ace Luis Guilherme should work away from Julen Lopetegui
Luis Guilherme joined the Hammers from Palmeiras in the summer transfer window for a fee believed to be worth £25 million.
However, he is still yet to feature in a competitive match for West Ham this season.
The 18-year-old is clearly a very exciting young talent, and was labelled as ‘extraordinary’ and ‘sensational’ by Paulo Buosi – the Palmeiras vice-president.
Last night, Guilherme featured for the under-21s against Benfica, and he scored as well.
Now, Athletic journalist Roshane Thomas has suggested that the Brazilian teenager should continue his development under under-21s boss Mark Robson, rather than Lopetegui.
That’s quite the claim from Thomas, but probably a fair one.
The thing is, he’ll be better off playing regular under-21 football, rather than either sitting on the bench for the first-team or not being picked at all for the squad.
Luis Guilherme a star of the future
The young Brazilian clearly has all the talent in the world, but at just 18, he’s nowhere near physically ready to play Premier League football.
Signing him from Palmeiras for £25 million was an educated risk from the Hammers.
If he fulfils his potential at the London Stadium, he’ll easily be worth double that amount in four years time, maybe even more.
Luis Guilherme showed what he’s capable of for West Ham’s under-21 against Benfica on Tuesday night.
However, he still has a long, long way to go before he’s at the level required to become a Hammers first-team regular.
I actually think Roshane Thomas is right. A year working under Mark Robson with the under-21s might just be what he needs.
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