Valentin Castellanos was one of West Ham United’s key signings of the winter window. Nuno Espirito Sant had put an emphasis on signing forwards who could contribute in the fight to stay in the Premier League. The 27-year-old was the first through the door, and has hit the ground running, netting two goals for the Hammers so far.
Nuno was not short of faith in his new striker, throwing him straight in against Nottingham Forest, with Castellanos starting every league game since. Whilst goals were always the primary reason for bringing the Argentinian to London, the player offers a lot more than just his play up top.
Castellanos has brought a new lease of life to the Irons, and energy that has affected the group for the better. Speaking to the club’s official website, he forward has admitted he came here for a challenge, but that the atmosphere in the group is better than ever:
“I feel very comfortable here with the fans, and there is a very particular feeling together. We have to continue on this road together in order to move forward together,” said Castellanos.
“I came here with a challenge, which was to give energy to the Club, what it needed, and what the coach and the Club asked of me.
“I like a challenge, and that’s why I decided to come [here] in the end. You don’t want to be going through this complicated moment with the Club. Of course, if we had been in another way or in another position, I think it would have been better or more relaxed, but in the end I like it.
“I like it because you work harder and you are much more focused. You have that challenge to be as high as possible day after day.
“I’m a big believer in a person learning something new every day, and you try and learn from each experience in each club that you’re at. I’ve got a huge ambition as a player, and that’s no different here at West Ham.”
Castellanos’s connection with the fans
Whilst Castellanos is here to score goals, his impact has been felt off the pitch as well as off it. The 27-year-old believes his energy and attempts to be positive has helped him connect with those in the stands:
“Throughout my career, I’ve always brought a positive attitude and fighting spirit, and I think that’s why I’ve resonated so well with fans.
“I’m positive that I can continue to bring that, as I’ve been trying to bring that to training and to performances in each game that I’ve played.
“We are happy, which is important, and little by little with our work, doing our job well, I think that at the weekends we’re going to continue to see that work reflected [in our performances].
“I think people need to have that joy of being able to take the Club forward, and that was my objective at the end of the day.
“Trust is always important with the group, and the quality inside the dressing room is unbelievable. They give me confidence to score goals or contribute more to the team.”
The importance of home games for West Ham
West Ham are in a difficult situation right now, but Castellanos is remaining positive. The forward acknowledged the importance of home games, and just how the fans help the team:
“We have to go into each of our home games with a strong mentality and be confident that we can perform.
“I think the energy that we’ve been bringing to games of late has been contagious, and that has spread from the pitch to the stands, and I think we’re all feeding off each other. I think it’s important.
“We’re all pulling in the same direction, but we respect AFC Bournemouth. We know they’ve got a top-quality coach and some great players in their squad as well, so we’ll treat them with the respect that they deserve.
“We know it’ll be a tough challenge, and we will continue to focus on ourselves and try to get the best results for ourselves.”
