Maurizio Sarri to sign off on January transfer as West Ham concerns to be alleviated
West Ham could be set to address their striker concerns in January.
Recruitment is likely to have a significant impact on whether West Ham can avoid relegation this season, with Nuno Espirito Santo in need of support in January.
So far this season, goals have been the biggest concern at the London Stadium, and rectifying that is likely to be at the top of their list when it comes to January priorities.
Several forwards have been linked with a move to the Hammers in recent weeks, though one appears more likely than the others.
Valentin Castellanos linked with West Ham switch
Valentin Castellanos has been mooted for a transfer to West Ham this January, despite having been a regular more often than not since joining Lazio in 2023.
The Argentine has five goal contributions in nine appearances for the Serie A side this season, but could be on the move in the coming weeks.
It’s believed that an offer of around £26million would be enough to bring Castellanos to the London Stadium, with Maurizio Sarri willing to do a deal.
That is according to Italian journalist Giulio Cardone, who claims via Laziliata that Sarri would sign off on an exit for the striker, to bring Giacomo Raspadori to Lazio on loan.
“On the Raspadori-Castellanos issue, Sarri would do it,” he said.
“If you sell Castellanos to West Ham and take Raspadori on loan, it can be done. At the same time, we’ve seen Taty at his best. For the rest, what matters is what Sarri wants, and he’d prefer the Italian, who sees him as a bit of a Mertens tactically.”
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What type of striker is Castellanos?
Unlike Niclas Fullkrug, who appears to be on his way out of West Ham, Castellanos isn’t a traditional target-man style forward.
Instead, he’s the type of forward capable of linking play, as well as having a tendency to be in the right place at the right time.
Last season was his best for Lazio, where he notched 14 goals and registered five assists in 40 appearances across all competitions.
With that said, Castellanos is good in the air as well as with the ball at his feet, and that is the exact profile that West Ham have needed for years.
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