According to a number of reports, River Plate are exploring a move for Valentín Castellanos, with an initial loan proposal understood to be one of the options being discussed. The Argentine giants are believed to be assessing whether a temporary agreement could be structured with West Ham contributing towards a portion of the forward’s wages to help make the deal financially viable.
The Argentinian side are also open to exploring a deal in which they would acquire Castellanos while West Ham retain a percentage of his future transfer rights, reducing the upfront fee required.
While the prospect of regular football in South America may appeal to the player, any negotiations are unlikely to be straightforward.
A Taty transfer to River Plate could result in Beltran moving in the opposite direction.
West Ham’s Position On A Castellanos Transfer
While West Ham are understood to be open to parting ways with Castellanos, the club would want a significantly higher transfer fee than the figures currently being considered by River Plate, creating a sizeable gap between the two clubs’ positions.
Our trusted transfer source suggests it’s unlikely that the Argentinians can afford the striker, as teams over there don’t have any money, yet reaffirmed the striker is very much up for sale.
From West Ham’s perspective, agreeing to subsidise wages while also accepting a heavily discounted transfer fee makes little financial sense unless there are performance-related add-ons or future sell-on clauses that could bridge the gap.
The situation remains at an early stage and there is no indication that a breakthrough is imminent. However, River Plate’s interest appears genuine, and negotiations could continue if the Argentine club can move closer to West Ham’s expectations.
There are also suggestions that Santiago Beltrán, as reported by Gonzo yesterday, is of interest to West Ham, which opens up the possibility of the goalkeeper being included in any deal.
For now, the ball is firmly in River Plate’s court. If they want to bring Castellanos back to South American football, a significantly improved proposal will be required before West Ham consider doing business.