Taty Castellanos has joined Lionel Scaloni, Carlos Tevez, Javier Mascherano and several more Argentine players who have signed with West Ham United.
Castellanos joined West Ham United on Monday and became the 10th Argentine to sign the club. Mauricio Taricco was the first Argentine player to ever sign with West Ham, joining them in 2004 from ASD Villasimius.
Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni joined West Ham United in 2006 from Deportivo de La Coruña, playing 17 matches with the club. In 2006, West Ham signed both Javier Mascherano and Carlos Tevez from Corinthians.
Carlos Tevez would go on and score seven goals in 29 matches, saving the team from relegation. Mauro Zarate joined West Ham in 2014 from Vélez Sarsfield.
Manuel Lanzini joined them in 2015, playing 226 matches with the club, becoming the Argentine with the most ever games played for West Ham United. Jonathan Calleri joined them in 2016 from Club Deportivo Maldonado and Pablo Zabaleto joined them in 2017 from Manchester City.
Guido Rodríguez, who is still with the club, joined them in 2024 from Real Betis.
Castellanos has signed with the Premier League club, joining them for £26 million. The 27 year old joins them from Lazio on a four and a half year deal.
West Ham announced the signing on Monday and the Argentine has already started training with the team. Speaking on West Ham United’s official website, here is what Taty had to say:
“I’m really happy because it’s a very important challenge for me personally and I’ve come to contribute, to try to help the team as much as I can. Every match is a battle, and I’m here to contribute that, to try to bring that energy, that fighting spirit I have inside, so that every match is as important and as tough as possible.
“I hope to give my all to the fans. I’ve always defended the jersey of every team with the utmost responsibility, and I want to tell them that I’m going to give everything, to defend this jersey, and obviously, to achieve our goals day after day. That’s the most important thing.”
Lautaro Martínez played a central role in Inter’s 3–1 home win over Bologna on Matchday 18 of the Serie A, in a match played at San Siro.
Martínez scored one goal and provided one assist, finishing the match to applause from the home crowd. He opened the scoring with a header and later set up another goal as Inter built a clear advantage during the game.
The Argentine forward has now scored in consecutive league matches, after also finding the net against Atalanta on December 28. In the current Serie A season, Martínez has 10 goals in 17 appearances, along with four assists, and leads the league’s scoring chart.
Bologna reduced the deficit late in the match through a goal by Santiago Castro, which set the final score at 3–1.
With this result, Inter moved ahead of Milan and took first place in the standings with 39 points. Bologna remain seventh with 26 points after the loss.
Enzo Fernández scored a last-minute goal to earn a 1–1 draw for Chelsea against Manchester City on Matchday 20 of the Premier League, played at the Etihad Stadium.
Chelsea struggled for most of the match and spent long periods without control. Manchester City dominated the game and went into halftime with the lead, putting constant pressure on the visitors and keeping them away from goal.
Even in a difficult match for Chelsea, Enzo Fernández stayed active in midfield. The Argentine continued to ask for the ball, helped defensively, and looked to move forward whenever possible, especially in the final minutes.
The equalizer came deep into stoppage time. In the 94th minute, Fernández arrived in the box and scored to make it 1–1, giving Chelsea a point that seemed unlikely just moments earlier.
Enzo was the standout player for Chelsea. Along with the goal, he completed many passes, recovered possession several times, and tried his luck with shots from distance.
The draw leaves Manchester City near the top of the table, while Chelsea remain in the race for European places.
Carlos “Cacho” Córdoba, founder and coordinator of Pro Tours Soccer, has spent more than 15 years organizing annual trips to Argentina with one clear goal: giving young players a true football and life experience, not simply focusing on results.
The project began in the mid-1990s and is closely tied to Córdoba’s own history with Argentine football. After many years away, he returned to La Candela, Boca Juniors’ former training center, a place where he grew up as a player. That return marked the starting point of what would later become Pro Tours Soccer.
“I came back to La Candela after many years, and everything worked out great,” Córdoba recalled. “That’s where it all started. At first it didn’t even have a name.”
Over time, the project became more structured with the help of close collaborators and family, eventually adopting the name Pro Tours Soccer. From the beginning, the philosophy was clear.
“I always tell the kids the same thing,” Córdoba explained. “They don’t come to Argentina to win, draw, or lose. They come to gain experience and to see how kids are raised in football there, which is very different from here.”
Córdoba, who began his playing career at Boca Juniors at just 14 years old and shared the field with Diego Maradona, later built a long coaching career in the United States. He currently serves as Sporting Director of Colorado Rush and holds a USSF “B” License, experience that strongly shapes the tours.
Unlike traditional international trips centered on tournaments, Pro Tours Soccer focuses on immersion. Groups travel to Argentina for around 10 days, train with local professional coaches, and play between five and seven matches. The program also includes futsal, which Córdoba considers essential.
“For me, everything starts with futsal,” he said. “That’s where football is born. If a kid learns futsal, he can play anywhere later.”
The experience goes beyond training and matches. Players visit Buenos Aires, attend professional games, tour stadiums, explore neighborhoods, and experience daily life in Argentina. Córdoba also takes groups to his hometown of Merlo to play futsal and connect with the roots of the game.
“It’s a life experience,” he explained. “The kids love the food, the city, the people. We take them downtown, to the stadiums, to Tigre. In those 10 days, we do as much as possible.”
Another key aspect of Pro Tours Soccer is flexibility. Since the trips are not tied to tournaments, the schedule can be adjusted based on the players’ needs.
“If the coach tells me the kids are tired, we stop,” Córdoba said. “If we want to add a match, we add it. We’re not tied to a strict schedule.”
The tours usually take place once a year, between late June and late July, during the U.S. summer break. In some years, multiple groups travel during that period. While many teams come from Colorado, players frequently join from Florida, New York, California, Texas, Illinois, and other states. Both boys’ and girls’ teams are included, and individual players can also join if they fit the age group.
“Every year we have kids joining from different places,” Córdoba noted. “If the ages work, there’s no problem. In Argentina, age is not as strict as it is here.”
On occasion, players have caught the attention of Argentine clubs during the trips. Córdoba is clear about his role in those situations.
“I don’t arrange anything,” he said. “They come to play. If someone likes them, they talk directly. After that, it’s their responsibility.”
Pro Tours Soccer typically works with players born between 2012 and 2015, though older players can also be supported with additional training opportunities while the group is in Argentina.
Looking ahead to 2026, Córdoba explained that families interested in joining the tours can find more information through Pro Tours Soccer’s official platforms.
“Everything people need is there,” he said. “They can learn more about what we do at protourssoccer.net or on Instagram at @protourssoccer. Anyone who’s interested can reach out.”
More than a business, Pro Tours Soccer reflects Córdoba’s lifelong connection to football.
“I never did this thinking about making money,” he concluded. “I do it because I love the game and because I believe these experiences help kids grow, both on and off the field.”
