West Ham sign Argentina international Taty Castellanos as January rebuild gathers pace

The 27-year-old has put pen to paper on a four-and-a-half-year contract at London Stadium, with the option of an additional year, and will wear the No. 11 shirt. He becomes the club's second addition of the January transfer window, following the £20m capture of striker Pablo from Gil Vicente, as head coach Nuno Espirito Santo looks to reshape his squad amid a difficult Premier League campaign.

Castellanos was identified early as a priority target by Espirito Santo, and his signing has been completed in time for him to be available for Tuesday night's crucial home clash against relegation rivals Nottingham Forest.

The forward arrives with experience across multiple leagues, having previously featured in Major League Soccer, La Liga and Serie A. He enjoyed notable success with New York City FC, where he won the MLS Cup and Golden Boot in 2021, before making headlines in Spain by scoring four goals for Girona against Real Madrid in 2023.

He joined Lazio later that year and went on to make 98 appearances for the Italian club, scoring 22 goals and registering 16 assists. During the 2024â-25 Serie A season, Castellanos finished as Lazio's joint top scorer with 10 league goals, while he has netted twice in all competitions this term.

Speaking after completing his move, Castellanos described the transfer as an important step in his career and stressed his determination to make an immediate impact. He said he had come to "contribute" and bring energy, intensity and a fighting spirit to the side, adding that he intends to give everything for the club and its supporters every time he pulls on the shirt.

West Ham hope the arrival of Castellanos can provide a lift in the second half of the season as they look to pull clear of trouble and build momentum under Espirito Santo.

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