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TM-Player of the season
Valentín Castellanos had an incredible season for New York City FC. The 23-year-old striker won the MLS Golden Boot scoring 19 goals and eight assists in 32 regular-season games, and then guided his club to its first-ever MLS Cup title. To top it all off, Castellanos also became the first Major League Soccer player to receive the Transfermarkt player of the season award.
“I’m delighted to receive the Transfermarkt award, especially as I know it is being awarded to many leagues and players during the year,” Castellanos said in an exclusive interview with Transfermarkt. “Of course, it is an individual price, but I couldn’t have done it without the coaching staff and my teammates, who were amazing throughout the year.”
Two moments stood out for Castellanos in 2021. First, when the player received the MLS Golden Boot from his mother, who had extra flown into New York to hand over the trophy. “I had no idea she was going to be there,” Castellanos said.
The second moment was, of course, beating the Portland Timbers in Portland to win the MLS Cup (5-3 after penalties) for the first time in club history. “It was our first star,” Castellanos said. “It is incredible to be a part of a club’s historic moment.”
MLS Golden Boot Winners since 2005
Castellanos: “hard work” secret behind success
Castellanos arrived on loan from CA Torque in 2018, and the Citizens made the transfer permanent one year later, paying just $468,000 for the striker. Since then, Taty Castellanos’ market value has exploded to $7.7 million, and the trend suggests that his value will grow even further in the next update.
“The secret is hard work,” Castellanos said when asked about his development. “One always dreams of receiving individual awards, like being the league’s top scorer, and I work very hard for it.”
Hard work that is not just reflected by his market value but also on the stats sheet. Castellanos scored 11 goals in 30 games in 2019, then six in the shortened 2019 season before exploding onto the scene with 23 goals in 36 games across all competitions in 2021.
Castellanos’ improvement has been noticeable, even beyond MLS. The striker has been linked with several clubs in South America and Europe. “MLS is no longer a retirement league,” Castellanos said. “Many young and talented players come here from South America to improve their game and use it as a platform to show themselves.”
Castellanos: MLS “great platform” – Rumors “motivate me”
The league has also improved significantly since Castellanos arrived. “I enjoy playing in the league, it is more physical, more tactical, and I had to work harder every year to improve.”
Taty Castellanos with his TM Player of the season award
Consistency has also been vital for Castellanos. The striker quickly pointed out that he has already played over 100 games for NYCFC, and that makes him a veteran at a club that, despite recent success, is still one of the youngest clubs in MLS—by the time of writing, NYCFC had the eighth youngest team in the league with an average age of just (24.3).
That experience has also helped Castellanos deal with the many rumors that accompanied his offseason. An agreement with River Plate appeared close at one point but could not be accomplished before the window shut in Argentina. Another club interested was Brazilian side Palmeiras. Then there were many European teams as well.
And Castellanos? The 23-year-old remained calm and opened the season by scoring two goals in the club’s first game of the year against Santos de Guápiles FC in the Concacaf Champions League (0-2). The striker also looked sharp in the first two games of the MLS season, even if he was left off the scoresheet.
“Rumors linking me to clubs just motivate me to keep growing,” Castellanos said. “It is a compliment to be linked to other clubs; every player wants this. I didn’t get this for free, I work very hard to receive that sort of recognition, and my dream is to play in Europe.”
Castellanos: “Gratified” that Guardiola “talks about me
A move to Europe, perhaps even in the summer, remains a possibility. New York City FC are part of the City Group, and Manchester City are very much in need of a striker. But even though Castellanos admires Pep Guardiola, he did not want to comment on any possible transfer.
Thiago Almada, Castellanos, Shaqiri & Co.: 28 MLS players to watch this season
“I met Pep Guardiola one time he went to see one of our games against FC Cincinnati in New York,” Castellanos said. “He is a close friend to our ex-coach, Domènec Torrent. I had the chance to take a picture with him, and he then came to the locker room to say hi to the group. Even though I didn’t talk much, I’m happy to have met him.”
In December, Guardiola did tell the press that he believes that Castellanos is ready for the next step and play in Europe. “It’s very gratifying that one of the best coaches in the world, with the influence and hierarchy that Guardiola has, talks about me,” Castellanos said. “It motivates me to keep working hard and improve my game.”
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