“Like I’m an idiot” – Manager appears to regret sale to West Ham

During the winter transfer window, SportWitness kept a close eye on Taty Castellanos’ switch from to .

The Argentine striker’s departure was largely driven by Lazio’s financial difficulties. After being hit with a transfer ban in the summer, the Serie A side were forced to offload players in January to stabilise their finances.

Castellanos’ move to the Premier League was seen as a necessary sacrifice that would allow the club to reinvest in fresh talent.

Lazio responded by bringing in and securing the signing of from . At the time, manager admitted he was unsure about the decision to let Castellanos leave — and that uncertainty still lingers in Rome.

Growing regret in Rome

Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport highlighted Lazio’s ongoing attacking issues after a frustrating 0-0 draw at the weekend. Sarri had hoped the January window would spark a revival, and there was optimism that the right reinforcements would ease any potential regret over Castellanos’ exit.

That optimism, however, appears misplaced. Following the stalemate against , Sarri did not hide his disappointment.

“We don’t create much up front,” he admitted. “Maldini is an atypical striker with specific characteristics. He doesn’t attack space or the six-yard box particularly well, and he tends to operate too far from goal.”

When questioned about Ratkov’s limited involvement, Sarri responded defensively.

“It seems like I’m being made out to be an idiot for not playing Ratkov instead of Maldini,” he said. “He’s in the same position as many 22-year-olds who arrive from abroad — new country, new language, different style of football — suddenly thrown into a completely different environment.”

Castellanos thriving in London

Meanwhile, Castellanos appears to be adapting smoothly in England with . He has already netted twice in all competitions and has started every Premier League match since his arrival.

Under the guidance of , West Ham’s transition-focused system seems well suited to the Argentine’s strengths. Castellanos offers more than just goals — he links play effectively and brings energy to the attack.

During his time under Sarri at Lazio, he recorded four goals and eight assists, demonstrating greater overall impact than Maldini and Ratkov have managed so far. Unlike Maldini, who is more comfortable dropping deeper, Castellanos is a natural number nine.

If Lazio’s attacking struggles continue, it would not be surprising to see further frustration from Sarri as the turbulent situation in Rome shows little sign of settling.