West Ham United will reportedly look to sign 24-year-old South American winger Gonzalo Plata from Flamengo next year.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Gonzalo Plata is the subject of interest from West Ham United. The Hammers are scouring the market for a versatile attacker ahead of the two transfer windows next year. So, the 24-year-old Flamengo winger has emerged as a target for the East London outfit.
Who is Gonzalo Plata?
Gonzalo Plata has hit the ground running since joining Flamengo from Al-Sadd in August 2024. A native of Guayaquil, he spent his formative years in Ecuador and graduated from the youth division at Independiente del Valle. He then gained experience in Europe with Sporting CP and Real Valladolid before spending a year at Al-Sadd.
The 24-year-old returned to South America in the summer transfer window and has not looked back in the last few months. Plata has managed only two goals and one assist in 13 appearances across all competitions thus far. However, one of those strikes earned Flamengo the Copa do Brasil title this month.
Meanwhile, Gonzalo Plata’s impact at Flamengo has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several well-known clubs across Europe, especially in the Premier League. The Ecuadorian attacker has previously attracted interest from English clubs, and he is now a target for West Ham United.
London calling?
West Ham United’s interest in Gonzalo Plata is understandable. The Hammers are scouring the market for a versatile attacker ahead of the two transfer windows, with the team over-dependent on Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus. Considering Kudus can reprise a central role, Plata is a viable candidate to take over duties on the left flank.
However, other versatile forwards, including Pedro Goncalves, also feature on West Ham’s radar. Nevertheless, the East London outfit might look to bring Plata back to Europe, although a move in the January transfer window might not see the light of day.
With West Ham spending heavy sums to bolster the first-team squad in the summer transfer window, the club’s decision-makers expect a quiet winter window. So, it will be interesting to see if Plate returns to Europe next year for the first time since 2023.
