West Ham United’s first couple of signings of the winter window were universally welcomed by Hammers fans long starved of positive news on the ‘striker’ front: A year before, remember, the loan sighing of Brighton’s crocked striker Evan Ferguson was the sole winter addition to the side: Bringing in not one, but two forwards in January was something of a revelation.
However the sense that West Ham overpaid for Taty Castellanos and Pablo Felipe has not dulled after seeing the duo perform. Castellanos has netted three times and looks an ‘ok’ prospect and Pablo as a hard worker cannot be faulted but sadly the Portugues youngster retains the touch of a striker wearing diver’s boots instead of football boots.
Nuno Espirito Santo poses with Taty Castellanos and Pablo Felipe
Nuno’s two winter signings
Should West Ham survive in the Premier League, it seems Nuno may have the opportunity to consider ‘trading in’ one of the duo, if their performances continue to underwhelm. According to sportwitness.co.uk, there are already moves afoot for a summer bid:
“Taty Castellanos’ situation at West Ham United is still developing, but the lack of a strong foothold so far inevitably invites interest. [Brazilian side] Flamengo’s stance now goes beyond a purely hypothetical scenario. The Brazilian side are planning ahead for the post-World Cup window, between July and September, and have budget set aside for a centre-forward.
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Castellanos fits the profile they want. His time at Lazio showed his intensity, pressing ability and presence in the box. Those traits remain attractive, even if his Premier League spell has yet to fully click.
For West Ham, it may soon become a question of whether a January signing turns into a short-term experiment. Relegation would surely make that likelier, with the Hammers currently in the drop zone.”
Apparently the Brazilian side have been following Castellanos for some time – if their interest does develop in the summer it could give Nuno an intriguing possibility of an ‘upgrade’ if Castellanos continues to struggle as an out-and out striker.
Nice problem to have, frankly, if the Hammers still find themselves in the hunt – and with funds for – a striker more suited to the Premier League’s physicality.