On January 13th, we covered claims from Italy that Gaston Ramirez had an ‘agreement in principle’ to sign for Leicester City.
There was disbelief from Middlesbrough fans, many rubbished the Italian claims, but for anyone who has followed Ramirez’s career, and his transfer stories, it wasn’t a surprise.
This is what happens with Gaston Ramirez.
There quickly followed claims of a transfer request, right in the middle of Middlesbrough’s relegation battle. But, again, that was no surprise, Gaston Ramirez is like the football version of The Scorpion and the Frog.
In early February, days after the transfer window closed and Gaston had missed a big payday, his agent Pablo Bentancur rattled the cage even more.
Bentancur told TMW: “I was working to bring Ramirez to Leicester, Ranieri and Eduardo Macia wanted him strongly. With Middlesbrough it was a battle, the coach said that if Gaston had gone he would go away too.”
Gaston was expected to move at the end of the season but, just like Bentancur’s other client Abel Hernandez, he’s still where he finished the season relegated. Years of transfer games and attitude issues seem to have provided a limited market, and whilst there’s sure to be efforts for both players towards the end of the window, they’re seeing the negative impact that repeatedly rattling cages can bring.
Sections of Middlesbrough fans and the local media have softened towards Gaston and there’s suggestions he’d be welcome to play for the club in the Championship next season. But, shock-horror, the player’s agent has other ideas and has happily spoken about them publicly.
Quoted by Estadio Deportivo Bentancur explained: “He must leave Middlesbrough. I am almost convinced that he is leaving and, on Monday, Betis will go in strongly for him. I’m not saying it will happen, perhaps he’ll sign with another team, but Betis wants him.
“Teams came in quickly. Benfica, Sporting. I myself presented an offer from Freiburg in the Bundesliga? The situation with the club is not the best.
“Middlesbrough are a little hard. They don’t to give any kind of ease with the clause, which is €12m for his departure.”
Real Betis wouldn’t pay that much, and it’ll be similar for the other teams. Middlesbrough should likely try and get what they can, otherwise, after being softened by the increasingly rare glimpses of magic from Gaston, the whole thing will almost inevitably come back to smack the club on the rear in January.
