La Liga heavyweights Barcelona have reportedly set their sights on Ajax midfielder Edson Alvarez over a possible move in 2023.
According to a report by Spanish publication SPORT, Edson Alvarez has emerged on the radar of La Liga giants Barcelona. Eredivisie champions Ajax will demand around €50 million to part ways with the Mexican midfielder in 2023.
Edson Alvarez spent his formative years in Mexico before graduating from the CF America academy half a dozen years ago. The 25-year-old first forayed into European football by joining Ajax in July 2019. And he has established himself as a pivotal figure for the Eredivisie champions in the last three years.
A mainstay in midfield, the Mexican midfielder has made 118 appearances for Ajax, chipping in with ten goals and five assists. But Alvarez will likely leave the Dutch giants in 2023 after coming close to a departure in the summer transfer window. And Barcelona might be his next destination.
Barcelona will look to replace Sergio Busquets in the 2023 summer transfer window amid the veteran midfielder’s waning levels. The Spanish international has been ever-present in the Barcelona midfield for a decade and a half. But Busquets’s regression has prompted the Blaugrana to lay down a succession plan for him.
Several midfielders, including Ruben Neves, have thus emerged on Barcelona’s radar. And Alvarez is also a viable target for the Catalan giants, who want to shore things up in the middle of the park. So while the Mexican midfielder might not be a like-for-like successor, he has the qualities to bolster Barcelona’s midfield.
But the 25-year-old will not be a cheap acquisition, with Ajax demanding around €50 million for him. Barcelona might also face stiff competition from several Premier League clubs for Alvarez, with West Ham United the latest club to show interest in him. However, the Catalan giants have several options on their radar if one of the candidates is beyond them.
In addition, Alvarez’s €50 million price tag could scare Barcelona, considering they are not out of the woods yet. Meanwhile, another Eredivisie-based midfielder, Ibrahim Sangare, is on their radar. It will be interesting to see who arrives at Camp Nou to replace Busquets, with Ruben Neves being the current priority.
