West Ham have been dealt a crushing Taty Castellanos blow ahead of their crunch Premier League survival decider against Leeds United.
Nuno Espirito Santo was savaged by West Ham fans, journalists and pundits for his tactics and team selection in the damaging defeat to Newcastle last weekend.
While Callum Wilson got the start he deserved, Nuno went defensive with a back five, a decision which saw hard-working forward Valentin ‘Taty’ Castellanos dropped to the bench.
Castellanos has not been prolific since joining West Ham in a £27m deal from Lazio in January.
West Ham dealt major Taty Castellanos blow before survival decider
But his attitude, passion, work-rate and pressing had helped West Ham turn their season around, giving real hope of Premier League survival.
Taty left Nuno red-faced when he was forced to rip up his plans just 25 minutes into the Newcastle defeat, reverting to a back four as he hauled off the woeful Jean-Clair Todibo to bring Taty on.
WE’RE STILL ALIVE 😍😍 How has Tottenham’s defeat made YOU feel about our survival chances?!
Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in! 😂
The Argentine striker was the best player on the pitch for the remainder of the game and scored what is West Ham’s goal of the season while going close on two other occasions.
Many pundits and fans have argued West Ham may have got a positive result had Taty started.
Taty was one of only two Hammers players to score better than 5/10 in the game.
The Hammers looked dead and buried after that game but Tottenham’s defeat to Chelsea means the battle for survival goes down to the final day.
If West Ham beat Leeds and Spurs lose to Everton the Hammers will stay up. All eight of the other possible combinations of results will result in the Irons dropping into the Championship.
Should that happen there will be a fire sale of the club’s top players to plug the £100m plus hole it will leave in West Ham’s finances.
Some fans have found solace in the belief Castellanos may be kept to help fire West Ham straight back up to the Premier League if they drop.
Taty has no intention of staying at West Ham in Championship
Especially as Taty has endeared himself to the club’s supporters.
Castellanos would be a guarantee of at least 25 goals in the second tier.
DISCUSS: Is Taty Castellanos good enough to be West Ham’s starting striker? ⚽
Alan Pardew does not understand the criticism 🤷♂️
But West Ham have been dealt a major Taty Castellanos blow before their crunch survival decider.
Because an Italian journalist has claimed Taty has no intention of staying at West Ham if the club is relegated on Sunday.
Worse still, it seems the striker may well have a release clause in the contract he signed just a few months ago as he will be available for a ‘bargain fee’.
Reporter Marco Mampreso says Taty has no intention of playing in the second tier of English football.
Mampreso also says he will be available for a bargain fee.
After making the claim, Mampreso has been reposting West Ham accounts who have reported the devastating news.
West Ham beat Flamengo to Castellanos in January.
And it has been reported the Brazilian giants, who signed Lucas Paqueta in the winter window, will try again for the forward this summer.
Taty has never been a prolific forward and has not looked capable of being a regular goalscorer in the top flight.
That is one of the reasons West Ham fans felt they may be able to hang onto him in the Championship.
It is felt having Taty would help the Hammers bounce straight back with his goals and tireless running.
But it seems he will be one of the many players pushing to leave the London Stadium if relegation does indeed occur.
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