According to a recent report by the Argentine news outlet El Intransigente, West Ham United are prepared to launch another offer to land River Plate defender Gonzalo Montiel. La Pagina Millonaria has also backed the claim after they revealed that the Hammers are eager to land the Argentine right-back at the end of this campaign.
David Moyes wanted to sign the player on a loan deal in January with an option to make the deal permanent next summer, but the bid was declined by River Plate (via TyC Sports). Montiel’s contract with the South American giants runs out in the summer of 2021.
Montiel’s Recent Emergence In The Argentine Superliga
The 23-year-old has been a consistent performer for the Buenos Aires outfit so far in this campaign after featuring in 14 matches for them in the Superliga. Even though Montiel is yet to score his first goal in the Superliga, it is worth noting that he has earned one assist and has contributed a lot on the defensive end of the pitch.
The Argentine full-back has averaged 2.1 tackles, 1.1 interceptions and 1.5 clearances per 90 minutes in league football this term (stats via whoscored). Montiel has also made at least one key pass per game which goes to highlight his creativity potential down the right flank.
What Are The River Plate Defender’s Best Attributes?
Montiel has excellent pace under his belt but can be a bit sloppy when making runs out on the wide areas. He is aggressive with his tackles and doesn’t mind covering a lot of ground to help his teammates at the back. The Argentine can defend valiantly and make some vital last-ditch clearances for his side. However, he needs to increase his numbers with regards to his overall productivity in the final third.
Will Adding Gonzalo Montiel Be A Wise Move For The East London Outfit?
The Hammers currently have Pablo Zabaleta and Ryan Fredericks fighting for the right-back berth in Moyes’ first-team. Montiel has the quality to provide some healthy competition for them in the upcoming campaign if West Ham can bring him to the London Stadium this summer. It will also give Moyes the option to rotate his squad more often to cope with fixture congestion and avoid more injuries in the process.
Montiel will also get some help and wisdom from his countryman Zabaleta that could help him settle into the culture of English football. The River Plate defender is highly versatile as he can operate in both full-back positions or as a centre-back. He will boost West Ham’s squad depth heading into the new campaign. Therefore, it could be a clever piece of business by Moyes if he can pull off a deal to sign Montiel next summer.
