West Ham have released a defenderplaceholder image
West Ham have released a defender | Getty Images
West Ham have decided to cut ties with a player they were once excited about.
West Ham have decided to cut ties with a young player who was once seen as a promising talent by the club. The Iron are in the process of a transformation as Graham Potter looks to put his own stamp on his squad.
Potter struggled in his early months in charge of the club, and he can ill-afford another long stretch of poor form if he wants to avoid pressure building, although vice-chairman Karren Brady did back the English boss this week.
With new players arriving at the London Stadium this summer, there is also a need for departures, and that includes players who are not likely to get playing time. One of those is youngster Luizao, who is now 23 years of age and yet to make his first-team debut.
The Hammers confirmed in a statement: “West Ham United can confirm that Brazilian defender Luizão has departed the Club by mutual consent. The 23-year-old joined the Hammers from São Paulo in January 2023 and went on to make more than 60 appearances for the U21s, scoring six goals, during two-and-a-half seasons with the development squad.
“In the second half of the 2024/25 campaign, Luizão gained senior experience on loan in Poland with Pogoń Szczecin, starting the final four matches of their Ekstraklasa season as the club narrowly missed out on European qualification.
“West Ham United thanks Luizão for his commitment during his time in Claret and Blue and wishes him every success in the future.”
The Hammers signed Luizao from Sao Paulo for just under £1million in 2023, but he leaves having failed to make a breakthrough, though it won’t have helped the centre-back’s case that West Ham have had three different managers during that time.
It has not been an ideal time for youngsters to try to make their breakthrough, and that is something Luizao himself made clear in an interview with UOL in the summer. He said: “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.”
It will be interesting to see whether Luizao remains in England, and even in Europe, as he looks to make a real senior breakthrough.
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