West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes has explained he played a decisive advisory role in Sporting CP securing the January arrival of Luis Guilherme, following direct conversations between the two during the winter window.
Speaking to DAZNin Portugal, Fernandes revealed that the Brazilian winger reached out to him as soon as Sporting’s interest became concrete. The West Ham player explained that Guilherme was immediately enthusiastic about the possibility of moving to Lisbon.
“Yes, obviously. At the time he spoke to me about Sporting’s interest. Obviously, he was super excited,” Fernandes said, before detailing how he tried to prepare the winger for the reality he would face in Portugal.
“I tried to guide him straight away in terms of housing, what day-to-day life is like in Portugal, even the pressure from the fans and what the league is like,” he explained.
Fernandes went on to underline why he believes the Portuguese league represents an ideal environment for young players who need minutes and confidence, especially those with attacking profiles.
“For me, and as I told him, I think the Portuguese league in Europe is the best championship for a young player who needs confidence or needs minutes,” the midfielder stated.
Club and country cultures aligned
Sporting CP
He also highlighted the competitive context Sporting can offer, particularly for offensive players looking to develop consistency and end product.
“Playing for Sporting or for a big club, you will always have the ball, you will have many moments of finishing, many attacking moments. That is something you can gain from it. He has not scored many goals yet, but that is something that will help him a lot in terms of confidence,” Fernandes added.
Beyond footballing reasons, the West Ham player stressed that cultural and personal factors were also part of his advice to Guilherme, factors he felt strongly favoured Sporting.
“It is a language he knows, the culture is practically the same, the dressing room is fantastic as well, and the club at the moment has all the conditions for players,” Fernandes said.
He then made clear how strongly he felt about the move, admitting he encouraged the winger not to hesitate if Sporting were truly on the table.
“I told him that if he had that opportunity on the table, I would not think twice. And now he is there,” Fernandes concluded.
It has paid off. Guilherme’s adaptation process at Sporting is still at an early stage, but he has already played as many minutes for Sporting as he did during his final year and a half at West Ham.
In that context, Fernandes’ comments offer rare insight into how personal advice from within the Premier League dressing room helped shape the January transfer.