While Niclas Fullkrug’s fate is starting to become increasingly predictable – the West Ham United flop looks likely to end up back in Germany with Wolfsburg – who replaces him at the Premier League outfit is anyone’s guess.
It was reported this week that Promise David would rather stay at Union Saint-Gilloise and keep playing European football.
Ivan Toney will be a very tough deal to make happen, Joshua Zirkzee seems keen to fight for his place at Manchester United, Emanuel Emegha is on his way to Chelsea, and a bid has been rejected by Al-Hilal for Marcos Leonardo.
But what about Valentin ‘Taty’ Castellanos?
Castellanos would be a big upgrade over Callum Wilson!
A name that should be familiar to some West Ham United supporters, given that Castellanos has been linked since his MLS days back in 2022.
Now with Lazio in Italy’s top flight, the Argentina international has been mentioned again ahead of the January transfer window, via Roma-based publication Il Messaggero.
How Castellanos feels about swapping Rome for London remains to be seen. But Lazio coach Maurizio Sarri, reporter Giulio Cardone believes, would give serious consideration to a sale if it meant the Biancocelesti could bring in Italy forward Giacomo Raspadori from Atletico Madrid as a replacement.
Maurizio Sarri may be tempted to let Lazio striker Taty Castellanos join West Ham United
Speaking to Radio Sei, the Lazio reporter believes that a bid of £22 million may also be enough to tempt the two-time Scudetto winners into a sale.
“On the Raspadori – Castellanos issue, Sarri would do it. If you sell Castellanos to West Ham for 25 million euros and take Raspadori on loan, it can be done,” Cardone believes.
“At the same time, we’ve seen Taty at his best. For the rest, what matters is what Sarri wants. And he would prefer the Italian [Raspadori].
“He sees him as a bit of a [new version of Serie A icon Dries] Mertens, tactically.”
Castellanos shot to fame when destroying Real Madrid in the colours of Girona a couple of years back. He scored four times in 50 minutes during a famous victory over Los Blancos.
Now 27, Castellanos is perhaps more renowned as a scorer of great goals than a particularly great goalscorer. He has just 22 in 94 Lazio appearances, though Castellanos is never usually too far away when the Goal of the Season competition rolls around.
Callum Wilson has comfortably overtaken Niclas Fullkrug
West Ham’s interest comes as Wolfsburg emerge as the likely destination for Niclas Fullkrug in early-2026. The Bundesliga outfit have hired Pirmin Schwegler, a former teammate of his at Hannover, as their new sporting director, with negotiations having already taken place.
Callum Wilson is again likely to lead the line when West Ham host Aston Villa on Sunday, with Fullkrug on the bench.
West Ham’s record vs Aston Villa is AWFUL! What must Nuno do to mastermind a WIN?
“He’s good. Stronger. [And] he knows the league,” EL Hadji Malick Diouf said this week, the West Ham left-back comparing Wilson to Fullkrug and offering an insight as to why the former may have replaced the latter as West Ham’s number one striker.
“[Wilson is] a really kind guy. He gives us the experience.
“[But] ‘Fulle’ loves to fight, you know. He’s a good striker. He loves to win. They both have the same character, you know!”
Interestingly, Castellanos is not the only Lazio ace to be linked with a move to East London.
West Ham like goalkeeper Christos Mandas. And with the Serie A outfit reportedly admirers of Mads Hermansen, a seldom-seen swap deal may be a possibility.
Former Chelsea boss Sarri has played down selling Tijjani Noslin to the Premier League outfit, though.
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