West Ham United have taken decisive action in the January transfer window, agreeing deals worth up to £47 million to sign two new strikers: Gil Vicente's Pablo Felipe and Lazio's Taty Castellanos.
Nuno Drives Double Striker Signing
The moves, both driven by manager Nuno Espírito Santo, are a direct response to the club's precarious Premier League position. Sitting 18th in the table and short of attacking options, the Hammers are desperate for firepower. The departure of Niclas Füllkrug on loan to Milan has left Callum Wilson as the only senior forward, forcing the club's hand in the market.
West Ham initially considered a move for Wolves' Jørgen Strand Larsen but backed away due to his £40 million valuation. They instead moved swiftly to secure Pablo from Portuguese side Gil Vicente for £18.3 million, plus £2.6 million in potential add-ons. The 21-year-old Brazilian, who is expected to gain Portuguese citizenship soon, has scored nine goals this season, helping his club to fourth in the Primeira Liga. His agent, Jorge Mendes, also represents manager Nuno.
Castellanos Adds Experience to Attack
Negotiations then turned to Lazio's Taty Castellanos, with a deal agreed on New Year's Day for a fee of £26.1 million. The 27-year-old Argentine, who joined the Italian side from New York City in 2023, has scored two goals in 12 appearances this season and is seen as more of a deep-lying forward. He becomes the second major attacking addition as Nuno looks to reshape his frontline.
The club also explored moves for several other forwards, including Viktoria Plzen's Rafiu Durosinmi, Crystal Palace's Eddie Nketiah, and Coventry pair Haji Wright and Ellis Simms, before settling on their primary targets.
Other Transfer Business and Departures
West Ham's business is not confined to their attack. They are also working on a short-term deal for Fulham winger Adama Traoré, whose contract expires this summer. However, a loan bid for Chelsea's Raheem Sterling failed, with the player believing a temporary move to the London Stadium would not help revive his career. Fulham are now favourites to sign Sterling.
Defensively, a centre-back remains a priority, with Toulouse's Charlie Cresswell of interest. In terms of outgoings, Brazilian winger Luis Guilherme is set to join Sporting for £14.8 million after making minimal impact since his 2024 arrival from Palmeiras. James Ward-Prowse, George Earthy, Callum Marshall, and Guido Rodríguez could also depart this window.
These significant investments underscore the urgency at West Ham to climb out of the relegation zone, with manager Nuno Espírito Santo betting heavily on new strikers Pablo and Castellanos to provide the goals needed for survival.
