Gastón Exequiel RamÃÂrez Pereyra (; born 2 December 1990) is a Uruguayan professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Boston River.
He had spells in Uruguay with Peñarol and in Italy with Bologna before moving into the Premier League to Southampton. During his time with Southampton, he spent one season on loan to Hull City in the 2014âÂÂ15 season in the same division, and the first half of the 2016âÂÂ17 season with Middlesbrough before joining them permanently for one season. In 2017 he moved back to Italy signing with Sampdoria, before joining Monza in 2021.
Since 2010, he has represented the Uruguay national team, playing for them at the 2012 Olympics, 2013 Confederations Cup and 2014 World Cup.
Born in Fray Bentos, Uruguay, RamÃÂrez moved to the capital city Montevideo to join Peñarol when he was sixteen. He made his professional debut for the club at age 18, in a 1âÂÂ0 loss against Defensor Sporting on 21 March 2009.
His second year there proved to be a breakthrough season for RamÃÂrez, as he was given a handful of first team appearances. Despite being absent from the Torneo Apertura campaign due to international commitments, He scored his first Peñarol goal in a 5âÂÂ0 win over Atenas on 13 December 2009. In the Torneo Clausura, He scored again and set up a goal in a 2âÂÂ1 win over Cerro on 30 January 2010. RamÃÂrez scored four more goals against Liverpool, Rampla Juniors, Defensor Sporting and Danubio. He went on to score six goals in 30 games, helping the club win the 2009âÂÂ10 Primera División.
RamÃÂrez's performance at Peñarol attracted interest from European clubs, such as Schalke 04 and Bologna.
On 25 August 2010, RamÃÂrez was sold to Serie A side Bologna for â¬2.5 million.
RamÃÂrez made his Bologna debut in a 1âÂÂ1 draw away to Catania on 26 September 2010 as a substitute for Diego Pérez in the 76th minute. A month later, on 27 October 2010, he scored his first goals for the club in a 3âÂÂ2 win over Modena in the third round of the Italian Cup. He scored again in the fourth round of the Italian Cup and assisted with another goal in a 3âÂÂ1 win over Cagliari. He did not score his first Serie A goal for the club until 23 January 2011, in a 3âÂÂ1 win over Lazio. After suffering an injury, RamÃÂrez scored three more goals in the season against Cagliari, Leece and Fiorentina (where he was sent off after a second bookable offence). He finished his first season at Bologna with four goals and two assists in 25 league appearances, and scored three goals in two Coppa Italia games.
Ahead of the 2011âÂÂ12 season, RamÃÂrez was linked with Premier League side Manchester City and Inter Milan. He expressed his desire to leave the club but was urged to stay at the club by his then-teammate Marco Di Vaio, which he did. After suffering from an injury, RamÃÂrez returned to the next game on 16 October 2011 and scored his first goal of the season, in a 2âÂÂ0 win over Novara. He scored three more goals by the end of the year against Atalanta, Palermo and Genoa. His good performance at Bologna earned him a new contract, keeping him until 2016. Despite suffering from an ankle injury, RamÃÂrez scored four more goals later in the 2011âÂÂ12 season against Fiorentina, Milan, Genoa and Catania. He finished the 2011âÂÂ12 season, making 33 appearances and scoring eight times in all competitions.
Despite signing a contract during the 2011âÂÂ12 season, RamÃÂrez continued to be in the transfer speculation, such as Napoli, Inter Milan and Juventus. In response to this, the club offered him a new contract once more. In late August, RamÃÂrez was linked with a move to Southampton and was on the verge of being signed for a reported ã12 million. However, the deal was angrily denied by the club's management. With the deal appearing to be stalled, and with his agent stating that the move was bound to fail, it was unexpectedly agreed on 27 August 2012.
On 31 August 2012, RamÃÂrez joined Southampton for a reported ã12 million, signing a four-year contract.
He made his debut on 15 September in a 6âÂÂ1 defeat against Arsenal, coming on as a half-time substitute for Steven Davis. He scored his first goal two weeks later on 29 September 2012, opening the scoring in a 3âÂÂ1 defeat against Everton. After suffering from a hamstring injury, he returned to the first team, where he played 76 minutes, in a 2âÂÂ0 loss against West Brom on 5 November 2012. His first home goal came in a 2âÂÂ0 victory against Newcastle United on 25 November, as well as setting up the other goal. On 1 January 2013, he scored in a 1âÂÂ1 draw at home to Arsenal. After suffering a leg injury, RamÃÂrez went on to score two more goals later in the season on 2 March 2013, in a 2âÂÂ1 loss against Queens Park Rangers. and another on 13 April 2013, in a 1âÂÂ1 draw against West Ham United. However, on 27 April, RamÃÂrez was sent off for an incident involving West Bromwich Albion's Marc-Antoine Fortuné following an elbow on Shane Long. As a result, he was suspended for the last three matches of the season. RamÃÂrez finished his first season at Southampton making twenty-two appearances and scoring five times.
Ahead of the 2013âÂÂ14 season, RamÃÂrez was linked with a move to clubs around Europe, such as Atlético Madrid and Borussia Dortmund for around 15 million euros. However, Southampton ruled out selling RamÃÂrez and were prepared to reject any bid for him. RamÃÂrez eventually stayed at the club but by the second half of the season, he was featured less in the first team. Despite this, RamÃÂrez scored two goals in the Football League Trophy against Barnsley and Bristol City. RamÃÂrez then scored his first league goal of the season, in a 2âÂÂ1 loss against Everton on 29 December 2013. However, on 23 January 2014, it was announced that along with Dejan Lovren, RamÃÂrez would be out for six to eight weeks with ankle ligament damage. After being sidelined for six weeks, RamÃÂrez made his return to the first team on 22 February 2014, coming on as a substitute in the 63rd minute, in a 3âÂÂ1 loss against West Ham United. He finished the 2013âÂÂ14 season with 18 appearances and scoring once for the club.
Although he made one appearance in the 2014âÂÂ15 season, in a 3âÂÂ1 win against West Ham United on 30 August 2014, newly appointed manager Ronald Koeman was keen on using him in the first team, due to his playing style, and expressed reluctance to let him leave the club.
After his loan spell at Hull City came to an end, RamÃÂrez was told by manager Koeman he had no future at the club. In response to this, he showed that he wanted to leave Southampton by ripping up his contract in an attempt to return to Uruguay. Despite this, he made his first appearance for the club in a year, coming on as a substitute in a 6âÂÂ0 win over Milton Keynes Dons in the second round of the League Cup. After the match, Manager Koeman praised RamÃÂrez after he showed signs of an improvement in his discipline. A month later on 25 October 2015, RamÃÂrez made his first league appearance for the club, where he provided an assist for Sadio Mané, in a 1âÂÂ1 draw against Liverpool. In the January transfer window, however, Koeman told him that he could leave the club and he subsequently joined Middlesbrough.
He went on to make three appearances for Southampton in the 2015âÂÂ16 season. At the end of the season, RamÃÂrez was among four players to be released by the club. The Southern Daily Echo reported that Southampton made a ã21 million loss on RamÃÂrez and that he had cost them ã8000 a minute. After being released by Southampton, he reportedly returned to Uruguay, re-joining Peñarol, due to contractual complications.
On 1 September 2014, RamÃÂrez was loaned to fellow Premier League club, Hull City. RamÃÂrez stated that he had joined the club to show Hull City's supporters what he can do.
Two weeks later he made his debut at the KC Stadium, replacing fellow debutant Mohamed Diamé for the final 11 minutes of a 2âÂÂ2 draw against West Ham United. RamÃÂrez was given a straight red card for kicking Tottenham Hotspur's Jan Vertonghen in Hull's 1âÂÂ2 home defeat on 23 November. He scored once in 22 games for the Tigers â equalising in a 3âÂÂ1 win at Sunderland on 26 December with a 30âÂÂyard strike, before assisting James Chester's header via a corner kick. RamÃÂrez then provided an assist for David Meyler to score Hull City's only goal in a 1âÂÂ1 draw against Manchester City on 7 February 2015.
However, as the 2014âÂÂ15 season progressed, RamÃÂrez suffered two injuries and Hull City were relegated at the end of the season.
On 26 January 2016, RamÃÂrez joined Championship side Middlesbrough on loan until the end of the season, when his Southampton contract was due to expire.
He made his debut on 9 February in a 1âÂÂ1 draw at MK Dons, and two weeks later he scored his first Boro goal, giving them the lead in a 3âÂÂ1 win against Cardiff City at the Riverside Stadium. On 4 March, he struck both goals in a 2âÂÂ1 home win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, putting his team on top of the Championship table. RamÃÂrez went on to score four more goals against Queens Park Rangers, a brace against Huddersfield Town and Birmingham City. On 7 May, he was part of the Middlesbrough side that won promotion to the Premier League with a man of the match performance in a 1âÂÂ1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion, despite sustaining an injury following a challenge by Dale Stephens.
After leaving Southampton, RamÃÂrez re-joined Middlesbrough, signing a three-year contract on 22 July 2016. Upon joining the club, he stated that it was the club's supporters, who played a role in his return to the club. RamÃÂrez's first game after signing for the club on a permanent basis came in the opening game of the season, where he set up a goal for ÃÂlvaro Negredo to put the hosts ahead in a 1âÂÂ1 home draw against Stoke City. After reappearing for the side on a permanent basis, RamÃÂrez continued to establish himself in the first team, pushing out Stewart Downing. However, he faced criticism over "his alarming loss of form" in a number of matches. He scored his first goal for the side on 29 October 2016, in a 2âÂÂ0 win over Bournemouth. The goal won BBC Goal of the Month in October. After serving a suspension for receiving a yellow card during the match against Bournemouth, RamÃÂrez then scored against his former club, Hull City, in a 1âÂÂ0 win on 5 December 2016. In the January transfer window, Leicester City had a bid rejected for RamÃÂrez by the club, leading him to go on a transfer request. But after the transfer window was closed by the end of January, the club managed to keep him. However, as the 2016âÂÂ17 season began, RamÃÂrez found himself out of the first team with injuries, suspension, competitions and Aitor Karanka's sacking. Following Middlesbrough's relegation in the Premier League at the end of the 2016âÂÂ17 season, RamÃÂrez made a total of 26 appearances, scoring twice.
Ahead of the 2017âÂÂ18 season, RamÃÂrez was linked with a possible move away from the club to Benfica and Real Betis among interested. Amid RamÃÂrez's uncertain future, manager Garry Monk called him up in the club's pre-season tour and featured him in the friendly match against Oxford United. Although Monk praised RamÃÂrez' return, his appearance against Augsburg on 29 July 2017 resulted in boos and jeers from Middlesbrough supporters, leading to accusations from club legend Bernie Slaven in the Teesside Gazette of double standards. By the time of his departure, RamÃÂrez became the third Uruguayan player to leave Middlesbrough following the departure of his compatriot Carlos de Pena and Cristhian Stuani.
On 4 August 2017, RamÃÂrez joined Serie A side Sampdoria for a fee of ã9.85 million. It came after Middlesbrough received no bids for his services and his contract contained no clause allowing him to approach clubs. Reflecting on playing in England he said:"I've been five years in the Premier League (previously at Southampton and Hull), I grew up playing with strong players. I played the World Cup, Copa America, now I've improved and completed. I have the right experience to take on my responsibilities and give the team what is missing in an important moment for my career."
RamÃÂrez made his Sampdoria debut in the opening game of the season, where he set up a goal for Fabio Quagliarella.
On 7 December 2021, RamÃÂrez moved to Serie B side Monza until 30 June 2022, becoming the club's first Uruguayan player.
On 22 October 2022, RamÃÂrez signed with Serie C club Virtus Entella.
On 4 August 2023, RamÃÂrez joined San Lorenzo in Argentina with a contract until the end of 2024.
In 2009, RamÃÂrez played in the FIFA U-20 World Cup. On 8 October 2010, he received his first full cap for Uruguay in a 7âÂÂ1 friendly win against Indonesia in Jakarta, replacing Diego Pérez at half time.
In July 2012, he was named in the Uruguay squad for the football tournament at the 2012 Summer Olympics, scoring during a warm-up match against Panama on 15 July. On 26 July, he scored from a free-kick to equalise as Uruguay won 2âÂÂ1 against the United Arab Emirates at Old Trafford in their opening game, although they were eventually eliminated at the group stage.
In June 2013, RamÃÂrez was picked by ÃÂscar Tabárez for the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup tournament. RamÃÂrez started the first group game against world champions Spain, and the third match against Tahiti, as Uruguay eventually came fourth.
On 31 May 2014, RamÃÂrez was named in Uruguay's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He made his tournament debut in the last group game against Italy on 24 June, replacing Cristian RodrÃÂguez after 78 minutes. Three minutes later he supplied the cross from which Diego GodÃÂn scored the only goal of the game, putting Uruguay through to the knock-out stages. After missing the Copa América due to a hamstring injury, RamÃÂrez played his first game for Uruguay in a year in a 3âÂÂ1 win over Trinidad and Tobago and was included in the Copa América Centenario squad, where he played all three matches.
He was named in the squad for the China Cup in March 2018. In May 2018 he was named in Uruguay's provisional 26 man squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
RamÃÂrez married Micaela Duarte in the summer of 2012. In early 2016 he became a father when his wife gave birth to a daughter. Upon moving to England, RamÃÂrez said he was taking English lessons as part of his work permit requirements.
Peñarol
Middlesbrough