Jose Mourinho could now do West Ham a favour in the summer transfer window
Edson Alvarez could leave The London Stadium this summer, with Fenerbahce among the interested clubs.
West Ham were comprehensively beaten 3-0 by Sunderland on Saturday, and are in need of a boost.
The sale of Alvarez could just do that, with Graham Potter looking at a new midfield signing in the closing weeks of the window, should space in the squad become available.
But Lucas Paqueta could also leave West Ham before the end of August, with the Brazilian reportedly weighing up his options.
Fenerbahce open Edson Alvarez talks
West Ham signed Alvarez from Ajax in the summer of 2023, in a deal worth around £35.4million.
The Mexican was chiefly signed to help the Hammers cope with the loss of Declan Rice, with the 27-year-old signed to handle the defensive aspect of the Englishman’s game.
James Ward-Prowse also arrived from Southampton, with the hope that the 30-year-old would replicate Rice’s passing.
The combination seemed to get off to a good start as West Ham won four of Alvarez’s first six appearances.
But in the second half of the season, the Hammers’ season fell apart and the midfield balance looked to be out of the window.
Last season, Alvarez made just 28 Premier League appearances after dealing with a back issue during the latter stages of the season.
And the Hammers would now be happy to cut their losses. Fabrizio Romano reported on 18 August that Fenerbahce have opened talks for the Mexico international, who is strongly wanted by Jose Mourinho.
Initial contacts have taken place and three more European clubs are interested, including Ajax. Alvarez is yet to make a decision on his future.
Who could West Ham replace Edson Alvarez with?
West Ham need progression and mobility in midfield, and when it comes to that, you can not look much further than Middlesbrough’s Hayden Hackney.
The 23-year-old is a master of progressive carries and passes, performing extremely well in most metrics.
Hackney’s defensive numbers are respectable, but the most joy West Ham would get out of Hackney is when he is moving forward.
| Hayden Hackney | Championship 2024/25 (per 90) |
| Progressive carries | 2.75 |
| Progressive passes | 10.18 |
| Tackles | 2.09 |
| Pass completion | 83.8% |
The England youth international boasts 3.82 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes, according to FBref, a staggering number.
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