It says a lot about the lure of the Premier League that Taty Castellanos was willing to bet his 2026 World Cup hopes on the outcome of a relegation battle at West Ham United.

Only two days and one game into his Hammers career, the Argentina international already finds himself seven points adrift in the drop zone.

So while Castellanos made a positive first impression at the London Stadium – head coach Nuno Espirito Santo praised the ex-Lazio forward following a typically industrious performance on debut – one wonders if he will end up wishing there was a relegation get-out clause in his West Ham United contract.

Taty Castellanos showed promise but his stats were underwhelming…🤐

What did YOU make of his debut?

Of course, the Hammers did not spend nearly £30 million on a new striker – their biggest-ever January signing – with the expectation of Taty Castellanos playing Championship football next season.

Castellanos is embracing those Carlos Tevez comparisons. Well, he had no choice, really. His new employers were only too happy to make plentiful references, when signing Castellanos on a four-and-a-half year deal, to the iconic Argentine who made 2007’s Great Escape possible.

Clips of Tevez were interspersed throughout the striker’s unveiling video.

Over in Italy, meanwhile, both Lazio coach Maurizio Sarri and sporting director Angelo Fabiani insist that the decision to swap the safety of Serie A mid-table for a team stuck in 18th place was very much driven by Castellanos himself.

Lazio boss Maurizio Sarri says Taty Castellanos pushed for West Ham United move

Like with the club’s other January addition – Nuno played a major role in signing Pablo Felipe from Gil Vicente – this was a deal driven by the West Ham boss.

No wonder the board are still backing Nuno, as confirmed by Hammers News. Their entire transfer plans are built around he and his agent, Jorge Mendes.

There had been suggestions that ex-Chelsea, Napoli and Juventus boss Sarri had wanted to sell Castellanos for months now. But, speaking to DAZN, the chain-smoking 66-year-old indicated that it was actually the striker who pushed for the move.

“The boy was open to this type of solution,” Sarri said. When things go like this, it becomes difficult to keep a player.”

Castellanos had started eight out of the eleven Serie A matches he was available for in the first half of the campaign. Say what you want about his returns – only two goals in those eleven appearances – he was still very much Sarri’s number one choice.

Castellanos is one of the Serie A giant’s greatest-ever sales

Castellanos now enters a star-studded top ten when it comes to Lazio’s biggest-ever sales.

One-time West Ham winger Felipe Anderson sits sixth, behind Hernan Crespo, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Juan Sebastian Veron, Pavel Nedved and Christian Vieri.

Mateo Guendouzi, formerly of Arsenal, will be another addition to that top ten when he completes his £26 million move to Turkish giants Fenerbahce this week.

How do you PREDICT Pablo and Castellanos will get on at West Ham?

And who is coming next, do you think?

“If requests arrive, [our approach will revolve around] listening to the player, as we did with Castellanos,” explains Fabiani, Lazio very much in the buy-low, sell-high category of club.

“Our project didn’t begin today, but after some key departures like Milinkovic-Savic, Luis Alberto, and Felipe Anderson. It was a tough journey here. If offers arrive, it means we’re reaping the benefits.

“It’s normal that Taty will be replaced, just as some other players will be sold to continue our growth.”

West Ham newbie determined to emulate Carlos Tevez

According to Tuttomercatoweb, Castellanos’ successor is likely to be Petar Retkov. Lazio are expected to sign the Red Bull Salzburg youngster for around £10 million.

As for the man himself, Castellanos is determined to continue Tevez’s legacy in East London. West Ham will benefit from his ‘incredible’ energy both on and off the field, as demonstrated by his Tevez-like pressing against Forest.

“I take on that responsibility [of emulating past Argentine icons]. The most important thing is to achieve all the goals here, training after training, day after day,” Castellanos tells the club’s official website.

“Obviously it was a dream of mine since I was a kid to be able to play in this league. I always watched it when I was little, I saw many Argentinian players like Carlos Tevez, Sergio Aguero, Pablo Zabaleta… many high-level players who have played in this league and many are still here.

“So for me, it was a dream to be able to be here.”