Well, that didn’t last long. Around 24 hours between reports suggesting Valentin ‘Taty’ Castellanos may be open to joining West Ham United, and Lazio’s sporting director slamming the door shut on Graham Potter’s fingers.
Only two weeks into the transfer window, and West Ham United’s hopes of bringing a new centre-forward to the London Stadium have suffered setback after setback.
While a club source exclusively told Hammers News that West Ham plan to sell before they buy this summer, the 2023 Europa Conference League champions are stuck in the mud as rival suitors close in on some of the finest young forwards in the market.
Jonathan Burkardt is expected to swap Mainz for Eintracht Frankfurt. Igor Jesus is joining Nottingham Forest.
Chelsea are in pole position to sign Strasbourg’s Emanuel Emegha, meanwhile, with one BlueCo-owned club looking to take full advantage of their relationship with another.
As for Valentin ‘Taty’ Castellanos, Lazio director Angelo Fabiani has wasted no time shutting down reports suggesting the Argentina international could be allowed to leave the Stadio Olimpico for a fee in the region of £30 million.
Lazio director rules out selling Taty Castellanos to West Ham United
Three years after West Ham tried and failed to sign Castellanos during his time in the MLS with New York City FC, the Lazio striker reportedly opened the door to English football.
Castellanos turned down a switch to Saudi Arabia, instead preferring a switch to another major European league in an attempt to boost his standing ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
But, speaking to Il Messaggero, the aforementioned Fabiani has wasted no time in putting an end to the speculation before it has even crept out of second gear.
“Taty will 100 per cent stay. He’s unsellable,” Fabiani says, Lazio having rebuffed approaches for another key player this summer in former Arsenal full-back Nuno Tavares as they prepare for Maurizio Sarri’s return to Rome.
“We have already rejected offers for Tavares. We are not selling any big names.”
Evan Ferguson and Michail Antonio go as Niclas Fullkrug plans Hammers revival
Scorer of 14 goals last season, Castellanos famously netted four times against Real Madrid in the space of 50 remarkable minutes back in April 2023. He is one of only seven players since 2001 to score a La Liga hat-trick against the fifteen-time European champions.
Back at the London Stadium, as Evan Ferguson returns to Brighton and as Michail Antonio’s contract runs down, currently the only senior centre-forward at West Ham’s disposal come the beginning of July will be Niclas Fullkrug.
Despite rumours of a return to Germany, Fullkrug is planning to stay at West Ham and bounce back from an injury-hit debut season in the Premier League.
Amid major concerns over his suitability for English football, the prospect of going into 2025/26 with the £27 million signing from Borussia Dortmund leading the line will do little to dispel the concerns of a fanbase fearing a relegation battle.
“I didn’t join a club at 32 to use it as a springboard,” Fullkrug told Kicker in the spring. “I’ve never had any intention of leaving West Ham, and that’s not even on my mind right now because I’m really enjoying this job at the moment.
“I find a challenge like this appealing. Moving to a club that isn’t yet where you want to be.”
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