West Ham United have approved the permanent transfer of Brazilian winger Luis Guilherme to Sporting CP. Portuguese outlet Record views this move as a practical financial decision rather than just a regular sporting exit.
West Ham United sanction Luis Guilherme’s transfer to Sporting CP
Sporting will pay a fixed fee of €14m for the 19-year-old. An additional €3m in performance bonuses brings the total potential package to €17m. Crucially, the Hammers negotiated a sell-on clause. This way, they keep a financial interest in the player’s future if he does well in Lisbon.
This agreement shows a change in strategy for West Ham. The club put a priority on getting cash right now over getting back their original 2024 investment. The London club paid Palmeiras roughly €23m for Guilherme just eighteen months ago.
As a result, this sale goes down as a loss on the books. Palmeiras won’t get any sell-on profit from this deal because the transfer price dropped below the original purchase cost. Record notes that West Ham first dealt with loan interest.
However, the board held out for a permanent move to fix immediate budget issues. By taking a lower amount of money upfront, the Hammers have cleared space in their squad. They are betting that the sell-on clause will eventually make up for the financial loss if Guilherme finds his form again in Portugal.
Analysis: A necessary separation for both parties
Looking at the Brazilian winger’s impact during the current 2025/26 season shows why this split had to happen. The teenager stayed on the sidelines of Nuno Espírito Santo’s plans. He played only 121 minutes of Premier League football across five occasional appearances.
The 19-year-old started only one game this season and didn’t get a single goal or assist. He also often found it hard to handle the physical style of the English top flight. West Ham are currently struggling for consistency. So, Nuno clearly felt he couldn’t carry a young player who needed a lot of time to develop.
This transfer is basically a smart way for West Ham to limit the damage. It makes no sense to keep an expensive player who contributes nothing on the pitch. Instead, the club can get back a good chunk of what they spent.
It hurts to sell a promising talent at a loss, but the move gets rid of a lingering squad problem. It also opens up room for players that the manager actually trusts. For Guilherme, the move to Sporting is a lifeline. He is joining a league famous for developing South American talent.
This gives him a chance to rebuild the confidence that totally vanished in London. West Ham cut their losses, and Sporting got a high-potential project. The player finally gets away from a situation where he wasn’t growing. This makes it a logical, if disappointing, end to his time in England.
