Daniel Feliciano

Sat 10 June 2023 12:10, UK

West Ham have held talks with the agent of Ajax star Edson Alvarez over a £30m transfer this summer, with a bid expected to follow according to 90min (9 June).

Club captain Declan Rice is expected to leave the club this summer with Arsenal leading the race for his signature, and the Hammers have identified Mexico international Alvarez as a potential replacement in that defensive midfield role.

And while Borussia Dortmund are said to be interested in a move too, West Ham have made a late move to get a deal over the line and have opened talks with his agent with a bid expected to follow.

“90min revealed in May that Borussia Dortmund were confident of tying up a deal worth £30m to take Alvarez to the Bundesliga this summer – BVB have money to spend after agreeing to sell Jude Bellingham to Real Madrid for well over £100m – but sources have revealed West Ham have made a late move and held talks with the player’s agent,” they wrote.

“The Hammers also showed interest in Alvarez last summer and the expectation is they will follow through with a bid to test Ajax’s valuation.”

Exciting

Alvarez was courted heavily by Chelsea last season and almost joined them on deadline day before a deal fell through, and he stayed at Ajax.

But an exit looks inevitable this summer and West Ham are surely an attractive proposition having just won the Europa Conference League.

First-team football would be guaranteed for him with Rice leaving the club, and £30m represents fantastic value in the current market for a player his age with such vast experience.

Dortmund are a great club and will no doubt be big competition for West Ham, considering they have Champions League football and plenty of cash themselves, but London and the Premier League are great pulling points too.

We know we need to move quickly, and we saw how it worked out when we signed Lucas Paqueta last year, so this is more shrewd business if we can get it over the line and add him to the squad.