Following the 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Wednesday, West Ham United have not only guaranteed their stay in the Premier League for the next season, but also have a clearer picture of their plans for the transfer window.
The Argentine press had been following this situation very closely, since the Hammers’ pursuit for River Plate fullback Gonzalo Montiel depended on what division they’d be playing next season.
Outlet Olé brought two stories about this chase in the past 24 hours. They have one on their website and a different one on this morning’s newspaper.
They recall that West Ham already tried to sign Montiel back in January, when they wanted him on a loan deal plus an option to buy for €10m.
River Plate rejected the bid back then, but due to the economic crisis, the answer would be different now.
Olé claims not to know how much would the Hammers offer this time, but there’s the information about the minimum amount they’ll need to offer.
That’s because Montiel doesn’t have an EU passport, so West Ham must convince the FA he’s a talent who deserves a work permit. To guarantee that, they’d have to spend at least US$12.5m (just over £9.8m) on the signing.
It’s not only Olé who’s been claiming that, but the player’s agent as well. Marcelo Carracedo spoke to La Oral Desportiva on Wednesday night, and despite claiming there are no official bids so far, he confirmed that this amount will be needed to guarantee the player’s work permit.
