Valentin Castellanos led NYCFC with six goals in 2020. (Photo courtesy of MLS)
The last thing New York City FC needs is to lose another attacking option.
But it could happen.
Forward Valentin Castellanos has been linked with 2020 Copa Libertadores champions Palmeiras, according to a report by Argentina-based journalist German Garcia Grova.
🚨 Valentín “Taty” Castellanos muy cerca de #Palmeiras.
📍Hay principio de acuerdo para que se sume al campeón de América a préstamo, por una temporada, con opción de compra.
⚽️⚽️⚽️El goleador argentino viene de romperla en la #MLS y fue un pedido expreso de Abel Ferreira. pic.twitter.com/jxPlW1rrE3
— Germán García Grova (@GerGarciaGrova) February 2, 2021
Castellanos, 22, an Argentenine Under-23 international, would join the Brazilian Serie A side on a year’s loan with an option to buy, according to the report.
Should the 5-10, 154-lb. Castellanos join Palmeiras, it would be the second loan of an attacking player by City in the past four months. The club loaned Alexandru Mitrita to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli Saudi FC through Jan. 31, 2022.
The #TatyCastellanos sale/loan to #Palmeiras has legs according to my sources.
Negotiations are underway but a concrete offer has not yet been made.
If this goes through, #NYCFC will have ZERO healthy center forwards on their roster. pic.twitter.com/LyqJAR8sHp— Roberto Abramowitz (@RobAbramowitz) February 2, 2021
Taty, as he is nicknamed, scored a team-high six goals for NYCFC in 2020, adding three assists. He has tallied 18 goals and 10 assists over 42 starts and 60 matches.
NYCFC lost Brazilian Heber to a knee injury last year, greatly hampering the attack.