West Ham United manager Nuno Espírito Santo has been quick to sing the praises of one of the club’s more successful recent transfers in Taty Castellanos.
The Argentine striker arrived for £27 million last month, making the switch from Serie A to the Premier League — and his impact on the Hammers has been nothing short of transformative.
Not only has Castellanos brought relentless energy to the frontline, he has also struck up an immediate understanding with Crysencio Summerville, who has visibly flourished since his new teammate’s arrival.
Such has been Castellanos’ influence, you do find yourself wondering how West Ham ever coped without a player of his intensity.
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Filling the Antonio Void
It’s fair to say Castellanos already looks the most likely candidate to fill the void left by Michail Antonio — and that hasn’t gone unnoticed by Nuno, who was glowing in his assessment ahead of Saturday’s crucial clash with AFC Bournemouth.
The West Ham boss said:
“We’ve been lucky to have him. Since he joined us, I think he’s brought a lot of good things to the team — his energy, hard work, goals and the way he plays football. We decided to bring him in because we believe in him.”
It’s hard to argue with that.
Castellanos presses from the front, runs himself into the ground, links play intelligently and gives defenders no rest — exactly the kind of profile West Ham have been crying out for since Mikey left.