West Ham signs Lazio striker Castellanos as ‘key target’ for under pressure coach Nuno

LONDON (AP) — West Ham signed Lazio striker Valentín “Taty” Castellanos on Monday in a move credited to under pressure coach Nuno Espírito Santo.

In a potential sign of support for Nuno, the statement announcing Castellanos said he had been “identified as a key target by head coach Nuno Espírito Santo.”

In an interview on the club website, Castellanos was also asked about Nuno wanting him in the squad and quoted as saying: “The guys have welcomed me really well, the coach and all.”

Nuno has only been in charge since September and there had been speculation about his future following Saturday’s 3-0 loss to previously winless Wolverhampton, which left the team 18th in the Premier League. West Ham next plays Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.

Castellanos joins on a four-and-a-half-year contract with an option for a further year, West Ham said, without confirming the transfer fee.

Castellanos has scored twice in 12 games for Lazio this season after a hamstring injury interrupted his campaign. He’s played twice for Argentina and also won the MLS Cup with New York City FC in Major League Soccer. He joined Lazio in 2023 and leaves with 22 goals from 98 games.

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This story has been corrected to change the spelling of Castellanos’ first name from Valentine to Valentín.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer