I was dubbed the ‘next Mbappe’ - now I could ditch West Ham for Wolves in £25m deal

Wolves are edging closer to securing Premier League survival and are preparing for an important summer transfer window to kick on and avoid another relegation battle next season.

Wanderers aren’t mathematically safe just yet but the nine-point gap to nearest chasers Ipswich Town looks very comfortable with just eight fixtures remaining. The Tractor Boys have an inferior goal difference, so they would need to win at least three and draw one while relying on Wolves to lose every match. Ipswich have won just four times in 30 attempts so far.

The Old Gold’s narrow 1-0 midweek win over West Ham was pivotal as Ipswich were victorious away at AFC Bournemouth. It wasn’t just the three points Wolves may have pinched from West Ham, though, with one of the Hammers’ promising youngsters the subject of transfer interest.

Wolves eyeing transfer swoop for West Ham star

Vitor Pereira’s side are reportedly considering a summer offer for West Ham winger Luis Guilherme, who has played merely 100 minutes this season following his hyped £25 million transfer from Palmeiras.

Caught Offside reports Wolves, Crystal Palace, Flamengo, Napoli, Atletico Madrid and Shakhtar Donetsk are among a long train of clubs interested in offering Guilherme an escape route. The Hammers are said to be willing to let him go as long as bids are received in excess of the £25 million they paid.

Wolves are eager to add options in wide areas and are anticipating the inevitable summer departure of Matheus Cunha, as the talisman forward has a release clause of £62.5 million and has expressed a desire to leave. Guilherme, albeit by no means a direct replacement, could have the potential to break through as a new Brazilian star for the Old Gold.

If he were to join, Guilherme would be welcomed by a Brazilian contingent as current internationals Joao Gomes and Andre are both at Molineux, while Cunha is still at the club for now.

‘Next Mbappe’ claims perhaps premature

Guilherme was dubbed ‘the next Mbappe’ before moving to West Ham as he clocked speeds of up to 36 km/h in Brazil, gaining interest from the likes of Chelsea and Bayern Munich. The 19-year-old’s progression has majorly stalled at the London Stadium, however, with only nine appearances made so far across the Premier League and FA Cup.

Predominantly a right winger but also capable of playing as an attacking midfielder, Guilherme came through the ranks at Palmeiras with Real Madrid superstar Endrick and incoming Chelsea attacker Estevao. Guilherme was spoken about in the same ilk as those two, given a comparable chance of succeeding at the highest level.

Former Premier League showboater Yannick Bolasie was thrilled when West Ham signed him. "Guilherme is electric and very quick – he’s exciting,” Bolasie told the Sunday Mirror in June 2024, after coming up against Guilherme in Brazil.

“He is a tricky customer – you can’t get too close because he can do something out of nowhere. He is a livewire with great dribbling skills, which makes me convinced he will cope in England.”

There have been very few signs of such quality at West Ham, however, with his recent performances torn into. Former Crystal Palace striker Clinton Morrison, for instance, was watching on as Guilherme made his first start of the season, ironically in the 1-0 defeat at Wolves.

“I just think it’s all about Jarrod Bowen,” Morrison told Sky Sports. “Guilherme who’s come in, poor, non-existent. He hasn’t played many games and you can see why coaches don’t fancy him.”

Read on: Wolves fans will love what Pereira has said about the club’s next step.