West Ham United are reportedly interested in signing Ajax midfielder Edson Alvarez at the end of the season.
According to a report from 90min, West Ham United have been watching a number of midfielders in recent weeks. And Edson Alvarez has emerged as a potential target for David Moyes.
The 25-year-old has established himself as a key player for Ajax over the past year. And he was linked with a move away from Ajax at the start of the season as well. Apparently, Manchester United were keen on signing the Mexican international in the summer . However, the transfer did not materialise, and Alvarez ended up staying at Ajax where he is an important first-team player.
The Hammers need midfield reinforcements, and the Ajax midfielder seems like a good fit in theory. Club captain Declan Rice has an uncertain future ahead of him, and the England international is thought to be a target for Premier League rivals Chelsea.
There have been rumours that Rice wants to move on to a bigger club and is unlikely to renew his contract with West Ham. In the event of his departure, Moyes will need to bring in a quality replacement, and Alvarez has already proven his quality in the Eredivisie.
The 25-year-old will head to the 2022 FIFA World Cup with Mexico, and it remains to be seen whether he can prove his worth at the highest level with this country. Impressive performances in Qatar will only increase his value. And it will be interesting to see if West Ham can afford him at the end of this season.
Along with Declan Rice, the long-term future of Tomas Soucek is thought to be uncertain as well. The Czech international was expected to sign a new contract at the London club, but the talks have been put on hold for quite some time now.
While the Hammers remain an attractive proposition for most players, they will probably need to secure European football to sign someone like Alvarez. The Ajax midfielder will have multiple suitors who are likely to be able to offer him European football next season. West Ham will thus find it difficult to convince the player to join them without European football.
It is fair to assume that the asking price might not be problematic for West Ham, especially if Declan Rice ends up leaving. The England international is likely to fetch a massive fee, and the Hammers will be able to re-invest the money into the playing squad.
