Lazio could fall victim to Artem Dovbyk’s impending transfer to Roma, with Girona earmarking Taty Castellanos as the Ukrainian’s heir in Catalonia. According to Italian journalist Damiano Er Faina, last season’s La Liga surprise package will turn to the Argentine striker once they cash in on their most prolific player.
Dovbyk’s switch to the Stadio Olimpico is a mere formality after Girona and Roma found an agreement on Wednesday. Daniele De Rossi’s side will dispatch €30.5 million plus €5.5m in add-ons Girona’s way to bring the 27-year-old goal-getter to Serie A. The Spaniards plan to use a portion of that money to reunite with the Lazio ace.
Castellanos isn’t a stranger to Girona. He moved to Estadi Montilivi on a season-long loan from New York City FC in 2022/23 and starred in La Liga with 13 goals in 35 appearances. His impressive stint in Spain recommended him to Lazio last summer. The Italian club hoped to make him Ciro Immobile’s heir in Rome.
However, the switch hasn’t panned out as expected. Barring occasional flashes of class, Castellanos stuttered in his first season at Lazio. He only netted four goals in 35 Serie A outings in 2023/24, casting significant doubt on his long-term prospects at the club.
With Immobile departing Lazio to link up with Besiktas earlier in the summer, new manager Marco Baroni will likely rely more heavily on Castellanos. That could deter the player from accepting a return to Girona, even though there’s no doubt he’d have a guaranteed game time at his former club.
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