The January transfer window is not too far away, and there have already started to be rumours circulating. Many West Ham United players, especially those who were linked with moves away over the summer, could finally get their transfers away from the London Stadium.
Taty Castellanos was linked with Everton and AC Milan over the summer. However, neither move came to fruition. He has since been a frustrated figure at West Ham in the Championship this campaign.
In 14 Championship games, Castellanos has scored just once; this came in the 6-0 win over Wrexham. He has made five assists, including setting up Joel Piroe's goal against Blackburn Rovers in West Ham's last game. The Argentine has also made three in three EFL Cup games, with a brace coming against Portsmouth.
Everton may come back in for him in January, as they are light on striking options. Thierno Barry is their only senior centre-forward, and he has been in form this season. Given Castellanos' poor record in the second tier this season, it is difficult to see AC Milan trying to sign him. This is especially as they now have Goncalo Ramos of Portugal up front.
El Intransigente has reported (translated from Spanish) that "River Plate has begun planning for the next transfer window with an eye toward 2027. Leonardo Ponzio (River Plate's manager) has identified Valentín Castellanos as a priority target to bolster the attack.
"River Plate will have to find a financial solution to move forward. Among the alternatives they are considering are negotiating the purchase of a percentage of his rights or seeking a loan with a fee. The possibility of moving forward will also depend on West Ham United's stance and their plans for the striker next season. For now, there is no closed deal nor an official offer confirmed by Castellanos."
A return to Argentina would be fitting for Castellanos
Castellanos is from Argentina, but came through the ranks at the Universidad de Chile, which is, of course, a Chilean club. He was then a product of the City Football Group. He played for Montevideo City Torque before starring in MLS with New York City FC.
Whilst with NYCFC, Castellanos also had a spell on loan at Girona, which is also owned by CFG. The striker was then with Lazio before moving to West Ham in January of this year. In the second half of last season, he was one of the Hammers' stars. Castellanos scored six goals in 18 Premier League games, but was unable to prevent them from being relegated.
He is only 28, so he should be in his prime. Castellanos has two caps for Argentina, but both came back in 2024. The Argentine Primera División is not considered one of the best in the world. However, River Plate is one of the biggest clubs on the planet.
River has a mostly Argentine squad and is captained by former Manchester City defender Nicolás Otamendi. The club's rivalry with Boca Juniors is one of the fiercest. Boca currently has ex-West Ham player Enner Valencia leading their line.
It was expected that Castellanos would light up the Championship. However, this has not happened, and the striker has been limited to a bit-part role. Scott Parker knows how important goalscoring is going to be this season. He has dropped Pablo from his two games in charge. Therefore, it looks like Pablo could be on his way out in January.
Unless West Ham finds a replacement, it is unlikely that they will let Castellanos go. Their only other striker is Piroe, who is now on international duty with Suriname. West Ham fans have been disappointed with Castellanos' return this season, so it might not be such a bad thing if he were to leave the club.
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