Nuno Espírito Santo’s reaction to West Ham’s 3-1 win over Portsmouth has highlighted a growing West Ham transfer dilemma after Taty Castellanos opened the competitive season with two goals.
The Hammers recovered from conceding first to progress in the Carabao Cup, with Jarrod Bowen scoring between Castellanos’ two finishes at the London Stadium.
Nuno was particularly encouraged by the way his side created those opportunities.
Speaking after the victory, the West Ham boss praised the attacking patterns behind all three goals. Nuno’s full post-match reaction on the official West Ham website
“The goals were all good combinations,” Nuno said.
For Castellanos, the timing could hardly have been better.
West Ham transfer dilemma grows after Castellanos brace
West Ham are still trying to add another striker before the window closes.
Troy Parrott is among their leading targets, while the Hammers have also been linked with Wilson Isidor and other options as Nuno looks to build a squad capable of sustaining a promotion challenge.
Yet Castellanos has started the season by strengthening his own claim.
West Ham already faced a decision over whether to spend heavily on another centre-forward. ReadWestHam recently analysed the £25m striker choice facing Nuno
Castellanos did not simply score twice. His movement combined effectively with Bowen and the players around him, which was precisely the area Nuno chose to praise afterwards.
West Ham still need attacking depth across a demanding Championship season.
Parrott could offer a different option and competition through the middle, while another forward would reduce the reliance on Castellanos staying fit for an entire campaign.
The question is how much West Ham should spend.
A fee approaching £25m or more makes sense if the new arrival is expected to become the first-choice striker. It becomes a more complicated investment if Castellanos continues producing performances like this.
Castellanos has now ensured West Ham’s next transfer decision is not quite as straightforward as it appeared a week ago.
