West Ham are signing forward who was personally congratulated by Real Madrid defender he tore to shreds
West Ham look set to add three new forward options to their squad within a few days of the January transfer window opening.
Nuno Espirito Santo needs all the help he can get if he is to steer West Ham clear of relegation, and the early indications suggest that he is getting that.
While nothing has been announced right now, the Hammers are closing in on several additions to their forward line, which is where a lot of their weaknesses have been exposed this summer.
Gil Vicente’s Pablo and Fulham’s Adama Traore are two of them, with a third having previously impressed against La Liga giants Real Madrid.
Taty Castellanos has previously given Real Madrid nightmares
Alongside the aforementioned Pablo and Traore, West Ham are closing in on a deal to sign Taty Castellanos from Lazio.
It’s been reported that the Hammers have agreed a £26.1million deal with the Serie A outfit, with the 27-year-old Argentine having already said his goodbyes.
While he hasn’t been at his best this season, he has showcased his quality in previous seasons, not just with 14 goals for Lazio last time out, but also 14 goals the last time he played in La Liga.
West Ham’s potential new forward, Castellanos, scored four of them in one game against Real Madrid, with Castellanos revealing that he was congratulated by Eder Militao after the game.
“I went to say hello to Militao, he is a player I like a lot,” he revealed after the game, as quoted by Diario AS.
“We hit each other a lot, we had some clashes, but always with respect. He congratulated me, and I thanked him very much for his words. He told me that it had been a great game for me.”
What type of player are West Ham getting with Castellanos?
First and foremost, Castellanos will bring goals to this side, so long as he is given the service that has often been lacking – his record shows that.
- 24/25 – 14 goals in 40 appearances
- 22-23 – 14 goals in 37 appearances
- 2022 (MLS) – 17 goals in 25 appearances
- 2021 (MLS) – 23 goals in 36 appearances
However, the 27-year-old also brings plenty of physicality to a forward line that has often lacked that this season.
Via FotMob, Castellanos won 47.3 per cent of his duels last season, while also winning 51.5 per cent of those in the air.
That’s a stark improvement on Callum Wilson, who has won just 37.1 per cent and 28.6 per cent respectively.
Castellanos also offers plenty in transition, with 47.1 per cent of his attempted dribbles being completed last season, and also 18 fouls won.
Ultimately, he will bring goals, physicality and a presence up front, which may be what the Hammers need to get pushing back up the Premier League table.
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