- West Ham United are in the Premier League relegation zone
- Valentín Castellanos joined the Hammers in January
- Castellanos could suffer 50% salary reduction if relegation is confirmed
Despite Tottenham Hotspur’s 1-1 draw with Leeds United on Monday night, West Ham United are still firm favourites to be relegated from the Premier League, according to the renowned Opta supercomputer. The Hammers are third from the bottom with two matches remaining and two points behind Tottenham, who occupy the final safety spot.
If relegated, West Ham will face a summer of speculation regarding the availability of their premier assets. Club captain Jarrod Bowen, Mateus Fernandes and El Hadji Malick Diouf have drawn interest in recent weeks with the Hammers’ Premier League status dwindling.
As seen with clubs in the past, there are usually contingent plans that aid the financial impact of relegation. A South American report suggests that West Ham are no different.
Valentín Castellanos could leave West Ham due to relegation clause
Valentín Castellanos is another player who could leave West Ham. This is due to a report from O Dia that Flamengo has expressed interest in the Argentine, who reportedly makes £75,000 a week at the London Stadium.
Castellanos only joined West Ham from Lazio in January in a reported £25 million deal, but has struggled to ignite the spark hoped for upon his arrival, with five goals in 20 games.
The Brazilian publication states that Flamengo’s interest in Castellanos has been piqued by a report that West Ham players could face 50% pay cuts if relegation is confirmed, due to contractual clauses that include buyouts.
Valentín Castellanos’ 2025-26 Premier League Statiscis per Fotmob
| Matches | Goals | Assists | Successful dribble per 90 | Duels won per 90 |
| 16 | 4 | 0 | 0.14 | 3.26 |
It is unclear which specific players have clauses and which don’t, but given that Castellanos was bought by the club in the midst of relegation trouble, it can be assumed the 27-year-old striker would be one of them.
Additionally, the clubs have recently developed a bond that may facilitate discussions should the situation come to reality. Flamengo agreed to a deal with the Irons that saw Lucas Paquetá join the South American giants in the winter transfer window.
