Striker Guilherme, aged 30, is one step away from leaving Santos for a new stage in the Major League Soccer (MLS), defending the colors of must be one of the “Designated Players”, indicating a high investment and central role in his new club.
The change represents not only a new professional challenge for the athlete, who stood out in Brazilian football, but also a financial relief for Santos, which seeks to rebalance its accounts and reformulate the squad for the 2026 season.
Guilherme, Santos’s top scorer in 2025 with 14 goals in 48 matches, made clear his intention to accept the offer, and the formalization of the agreement only awaits the signing of the final documents.
Highlight projection as Designated Player
Houston Dynamo plans to integrate Guilherme as one of its Designated Players (DPs), a category that allows MLS clubs to sign athletes whose salaries exceed the cap established by the league. Cada team is entitled to up to three DP vacancies, and the inclusion of the Brazilian striker in this list underlines the expectation that he will be a key piece in the Texan team’s tactical scheme.
This condition guarantees Guilherme one of the highest salaries within the Houston Dynamo squad, reflecting the club’s confidence in his potential to lead the offensive sector. The bet aims to strengthen the team’s competitiveness next season, with the player taking on a leading role.
Transaction financial details
Houston Dynamo’s initial proposal, which was around US$1.7 million (approximately R$9.2 million), was improved to the current US$2.1 million, demonstrating the American club’s interest in completing the contract. Santos, which had maintained 50% of the economic rights of Guilherme since its acquisition in 2023, will have a significant financial return from the transaction.
In addition to Santos, Grêmio will also benefit from the negotiation, receiving around US$340 thousand (equivalent to R$1.8 million) due to the 20% of the economic rights it still held from the athlete. Este multifaceted financial arrangement reflects the complexity of transfers in modern football.
The completion of the sale prevents Guilherme from signing a pre-contract with any other club from June 2026 onwards, guaranteeing Santos compensation for his departure and avoiding the loss of the player without future costs.
Budget relief for Santos
The transfer of Guilherme is seen as an essential strategic move for the finances of Santos Futebol Clube, which faced a deficit in 2025 and seeks to stabilize its cash flow. The revenue generated from the sale not only contributes to the club’s financial health, but also opens up margin on the payroll, allowing the board to plan possible investments in new reinforcements for the 2026 season.
The black and white club’s board of directors demonstrates coherence with its planning to reformulate the squad, prioritizing definitive sales to balance the accounts. The commitment to not make it difficult for the player to leave was maintained, especially after his fundamental contribution to the team’s permanence in Série A do Campeonato Brasileiro.
Guilherme’s journey into Peixe
Guilherme arrived at Santos at the end of 2023, in a complex transaction that involved the exchange for midfielder Dodi and the loan of player Soteldo to Grêmio, marking the beginning of a distinguished spell at the club. Durante his stay, the striker was a key player in the campaign that culminated in winning the 2024 Série B, demonstrating his decisive ability. Sua’s performance in 2025 was even more remarkable, when he established himself as Campeonato Paulista’s top scorer, with an impressive goal tally, and maintained his regularity at Campeonato Brasileiro, where he participated in 32 of the 38 games, contributing four goals and seven assists, being crucial in the final stretch of the competition with five assists in the last four games.
Expectations and adaptation in MLS
At Houston Dynamo, Guilherme will find an environment with a Brazilian presence, as the squad features defender Antônio Carlos and midfielder Artur. Essa familiarity can facilitate your adaptation to the new club and Major League Soccer’s style of play, an important factor in the success of foreign athletes.
The American club has high expectations for the striker, seeing him as a key piece for the sporting and tactical project that aims to strengthen the team and achieve significant results in upcoming competitions. Sua experience and offensive capacity are considered differentials.
Guilherme will have the opportunity to adapt to a growing league, with different tactical characteristics from Brazilian football, and to contribute with his versatile and creative playing style, seeking to quickly establish himself as one of the championship’s highlights.
Guilherme’s move to MLS reinforces a trend observed in recent years, where several Brazilian players choose to migrate to North American football in search of new professional experiences and a constantly developing scenario.
Next steps towards officialization
The final details for making the transfer official include signing the documents and carrying out medical examinations at Estados Unidos, after the verbal agreement already established between the parties and the expression of the player’s desire to move to Houston Dynamo.
