West Ham United could look to complete a move for Lazio striker Valentin Castellanos in the summer months, according to reports - with the Hammers desperately in need of firepower to resolve what has been a poor campaign in the Premier League.
A ninth-placed finish last season has not been replicated, with the Irons still set to finish in the bottom seven this time around, and they could even end the campaign in 17th if results go against them on the final day of the campaign - which Castellanos would look to resolve should he join the club.
Report: West Ham 'Close' to Submitting Castellanos Offer
The Hammers have been crying out for a new striker for some time
Graham Potter
The report by CaughtOffside suggests that Premier League clubs are keen on landing Argentine forward Castellanos this summer, with West Ham being named as one of the leading candidates to secure his signature in the summer window - and they are close to submitting an offer for his services.
West Ham's Premier League statistics - Division squad ranking
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The Hammers are in need of a reliable goalscorer during the summer, after being slightly disappointed by their current contingent of attackers. Niclas Fullkrug has nursed injuries throughout the season, Danny Ings is set to depart the club at the end of June and Evan Ferguson's loan spell hasn't at all materialised in the way that Graham Potter would have hoped amid his appointment in January.
With that in mind, Castellanos has been identified as a target. The 26-year-old has been in strong form for Lazio this season, being called 'sensational' and notching 10 goals in Serie A as they could still qualify for the Champions League with a win on the final day of the season. However, the striker has an 'ambition' to prove himself in the Premier League, making a move to the London Stadium even more enticing.
Castellanos is seen as the potential replacement for Fullkrug in the long-term, and Irons chiefs are prepared to hand the former Chelsea boss a large budget to secure a top-quality striker for the new campaign, with £30million being seen as enough to land him this summer.
Castellanos was linked with West Ham a few years ago, having done extremely well in the MLS with New York City FC by scoring 49 league goals in just 101 outings - and a strong campaign with Girona in 2022/23 saw him notch 13 La Liga goals as they notched a top-half finish.
At just 26 years of age, the Mendoza-born star is coming into his prime, and with two caps for Argentina, he'd be an astute signing in east London - and one that West Ham could need to resurrect any chances of qualifying for Europe.
Statistics courtesy of WhoScored. Correct as of 20-05-25.
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