Leeds United push for Taty Castellanos in new transfer update
Leeds United are pursuing a move for Taty Castellanos and negotiations with Lazio are expected to be on the cards.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is on a superb run of scoring for Leeds but the Whites don’t seem to be prepared to take their chances on the Englishman keeping that up indefinitely ahead of the January transfer window.
Joel Piroe could be a candidate to leave Elland Road after barely featuring in the Premier League since the beginning of the season, while Lukas Nmecha has missed the past four matches with injury.
Castellanos has been a Leeds target since he was at New York FC and is now thought to be back in their sights in Serie A.
Leeds refuse to match Lazio’s Castellanos asking price
Gazzetta dello Sport report that Lazio want to sign a forward in January and will need to let one of their current options leave to make room.
Castellanos appears the most likely as he currently has multiple suitors in the transfer market, including Rio de Janeiro’s Flamengo and Buenos Aires giants River Plate.
However, the 27-year-old would reportedly prefer to remain in Europe and is interested in the Premier League, where Leeds are said to be persistently after him.
Lazio want a minimum of €30million [£26.18m] to sell the Argentina international but the Whites are not willing to pay that much, so negotiations must now ensue for the two sides to work out a deal.
Castellanos has scored twice this season in 10 Serie A appearances, after netting 10 league goals in the previous campaign.
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Who else could Leeds sign instead of Castellanos?
It is unavoidable up to a point for clubs to have to shell out big money for goal scorers midseason, whereas free transfer bargains like Calvert-Lewin and Nmecha are often available in the summer.
But Castellanos would be a gamble for anything like the asking price given it would be his first experience in English football.
He has reached double figures for a season in both La Liga and Serie A since leaving MLS but only netted four in 35 in his debut campaign in Italy, and has just the two so far this.
There are various attacking targets linked to an Elland Road move in the New Year, with Sevilla’s Ruben Vargas likely to be cheaper for Leeds, while Terem Moffi is also thought to be a target and wanting out at Nice.
Bringing Manor Solomon back has been on the cards ever since his loan ended last season, and he may be available if his latest temporary move to Villarreal is cut short.
A move for Chelsea youngster Tyrique George could be the most intriguing given the 19-year-old has looked on the brink of a breakthrough for the past year and a half but seemingly doomed to forever be stuck behind new recruits at Stamford Bridge.
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