Luizao Graham Potter
(Credit: Imago and Getty Images)
Jack Dawson
Tue 17 June 2025 10:40, UK
Luizao has been at West Ham since 2023 after joining from Brazilian side Sao Paulo.
Despite being at the London Stadium for two and a half years, the 23-year-old is yet to make his senior Hammers debut.
Instead, the defender has been sent out on loan to find first-team opportunities, with Luizao joining Polish side Pogon Szczecin in February.
However, the South American sensation is far from happy about how his Hammers career has gone.
West Ham head coach Graham Potter
Graham Potter is yet to Luizao his West Ham debut (Credit: Imago)
Luizao launches new attack on West Ham
In recent years, West Ham have opted to use the transfer market instead of looking towards their academy.
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The London club have spent big fees on numerous players as they look to return to Europe.
West Ham had a net spend exceeding £85million last summer, with many of their youth players cast aside, being sent out on loan like Luizao.
Lewis Orford and Ollie Scarles were the only youngsters to make their Premier League debuts for the Hammers last season, despite the London club’s dreadful form.
As a result, some youngsters are being linked away from West Ham, with Internacional showing interest in Luizao, according to Bola VIP (16 June).
Now, the defender has claimed that West Ham don’t like using young players as he edges closer to a permanent exit.
Luizao for Pogon Szczecin on loan
Appearances 4
Goals 0
Assists 0
Luizao struggled to make an impact in Poland
He told UOL (15 June): “In the Under 21s, I was a starter, and the coach always praised me in training.
“He tried to get me to play in the first team, saying that I was ready to move up, but unfortunately, I got first-team coaches who didn’t like using young players.
“In the Premier League, since clubs have a lot of money, they end up buying ready-made players instead of preparing the younger ones.”
Oliver Scarles
Oli Scarles proved to be West Ham’s breakout star last season (Credit: Imago)
Potter needs to do more for West Ham’s youth
West Ham have one of the best academies in England and have produced numerous players who have gone on to be world-class.
Declan Rice was the last major player to do well as he captained the Hammers to a Europa Conference League title before moving to Arsenal.
While Scarles proved to be a breakout star at the London Stadium last season, more opportunities need to be given to the youth, something Graham Potter isn’t afraid of.
This is especially true when many of the first teamers are underperforming, as they are unlikely to be worse than some of West Ham’s out-of-form stars.
Hopefully, in the 2025/26 campaign, Potter will give more chances to his younger players, but Luizao may have wasted any slim chance he had of breaking through now.
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