Edson Alvarez ready to cut short holiday for West Ham United medical as £25m news emerges
West Ham United target Edson Alvares is ready to cut his holiday short and fly to London to complete a move from Ajax, according to the Daily Mail.
The newspaper reported online (5 August) that the Hammers’ initial £25million bid may not be enough to lure the Mexican away from Ajax, but with talks ongoing, a deal of £30million could see the deal completed.
While the Dutch side wants £35million, if a compromise is agreed the 25-year-old could depart his holiday in his native Mexico early to jet to London to undergo a medical.
Hopeful
Finally some good news for West Ham fans.
The Hammers are yet to complete a summer signing so far this window despite interest in the likes of James Ward-Prowse and Harry Maguire.
However, Alvarez could become signing number one in a very exciting deal for fans. The search for a Declan Rice replacement has taken much longer than most anticipated, but Alvarez could be worth the wait.
While replacing Rice’s ability was always an uphill battle, Alvarez trumps Rice on many key metrics. The Mexican can boast 7.76 progressive passes per 90 (92nd percentile) and 2.52 progressive carries per 90 (93rd percentile) [FBRef], showing him to be adept at shifting the momentum of his side and springing attacking moves.
He would also join the Premier League with plenty of experience having completed four seasons with the Dutch giants in the Eredivisie and 68 appearances for the Mexico national side. Alvarez has also been a regular in European competition for Ajax which will be particularly handy for the Hammers ahead of their Europa League appearance this season.
If West Ham can get the highly-rated Mexican for £30million, it could prove very shrewd business and a sensible investment considering Alvarez’s quality.
The fact he’s willing to cut his holiday short too shows his keenness to make the switch to the Premier League and will likely link up very well with the Hammers’ midfield maestro Lucas Paquetá.
After a summer of disappointment and mayhem, West Ham fans finally have something to sign about ahead of their Premier League opener against Bournemouth.
In other West Ham news, a departing Hammers forward has been spotted in Italy ahead of his Serie A move.