Report: West Ham leading chase for South American, £7.7m fee

West Ham United are leading the race to sign River Plate’s impressive right-back Gonzalo Montiel, with El Intransigente suggesting the Hammers are at the front of the queue to land the South American.

The Irons are in need of a new full-back this summer after Pablo Zabaleta and Jeremy Ngakia departed the London Stadium. 

This leaves West Ham with only Ryan Fredericks and promising youngster Ben Johnson in the right-back role, with an established additional option surely a priority for the Irons hierarchy.

The report suggests that a battle between the Hammers and other European clubs is ongoing, but the London side have the advantage in the race to sign Montiel.

It also suggest a fee in the region of $10 million (£7.7 million) would be enough to convince River to sell the defender to West Ham, while the likes of Roma, Schalke and Bayer Leverkusen are also in the hunt.

The Hammers have had joy in signing Argentine players over the years, with the likes of Carlos Tevez, Javier Mascherano and Manuel Lanzini gracing the London club.

To land an Argentina international for this modest fee would clearly be a coup for West Ham.

Montiel featured for River in 19 domestic games in the 2019-20 campaign, while the 23-year-old has been capped by the Argentine international side twice.

West Ham need defensive reinforcements and landing the enterprising full-back would add an established option to David Moyes’ squad at right-back.