Exclusive: Why West Ham rejected Everton’s big-money bid for Taty Castellanos

West Ham United turned down a deadline-day offer worth up to £45 million from Everton for striker Valentin 'Taty' Castellanos. A club source revealed the board feared fan backlash if they sold the forward without scoring replacements. The approach, consisting of £40 million plus £5 million in add-ons, arrived with only hours left in the summer transfer window, leaving insufficient time to secure a successor.

The decision has come under scrutiny following Castellanos' difficult start to the Championship campaign, having scored only once in his first 11 league appearances. West Ham had originally signed the Argentine from Lazio for around £27 million in January. With supporters now frustrated by his performances, club insiders indicate the forward could potentially be offloaded in the upcoming January window if an adequate offer materializes.