West Ham United have taken decisive action in the January transfer window, agreeing deals to sign two new strikers at a combined potential cost of £47 million.
Nuno Drives Double Striker Swoop
The moves for Gil Vicente's Pablo Felipe and Lazio's Taty Castellanos have been personally driven by manager Nuno Espírito Santo. He is urgently seeking to bolster his side's attacking options as they battle to climb out of the Premier League's relegation zone, where they currently sit 18th. The club's striking department has been further depleted by the loan departure of Niclas Füllkrug to Milan, leaving Callum Wilson as the only senior forward.
Breaking Down the Deals
West Ham moved swiftly to secure the services of 21-year-old Brazilian talent Pablo Felipe from Portuguese side Gil Vicente. The deal is worth £18.3 million upfront, with a further £2.6 million in potential add-ons. Pablo has impressed this season, scoring nine goals to help his club to fourth in the Primeira Liga.
Negotiations then turned to Taty Castellanos of Lazio. The Hammers have agreed a £26.1 million deal for the 27-year-old Argentine, who joined the Italian side from New York City in 2023. Castellanos, a deep-lying forward, has scored two goals in 12 appearances for Lazio this season.
Alternatives and Other Business
The club had considered other targets but decided against a move for Wolves' Jørgen Strand Larsen due to his £40 million valuation. They also looked at Viktoria Plzen’s Rafiu Durosinmi, Crystal Palace’s Eddie Nketiah, and Coventry pair Haji Wright and Ellis Simms.
In other transfer activity, West Ham are close to a short-term deal for Fulham winger Adama Traoré. However, a loan bid for Chelsea's Raheem Sterling failed, with the player believing a move to the London Stadium would not help revive his career. Fulham are now favourites to sign Sterling.
Departures are also on the cards. The club is selling young winger Luis Guilherme to Sporting for £14.8m, while James Ward-Prowse, George Earthy, Callum Marshall, and Guido Rodríguez could also leave. Strengthening at centre-back remains a priority, with Toulouse's Charlie Cresswell a player of interest.
