Crystal Palace could fork out £20 million to bring Edson Alvarez to the Premier League but Dutch legend Marco van Basten is not a fan of the Ajax midfielder, via FC Update.
With all due respect to the versatile Mexico international, he is no Frenkie de Jong.
Alvarez was hauled off at half-time during Ajax’s thrilling 3-2 victory over Feyenoord last time out, Manchester United-linked manager Erik Ten Hag critical of a performance full of what he labelled ‘disastrous mistakes’ (ESPN).
It certainly wasn’t a display which served to justify Alvarez’s reported £20 million price-tag.
Nonetheless, Crystal Palace remain long-time admirers of the former Club America man, having missed out on Alvarez when he joined Ajax back in 2019.
According to The Sun, the 24-year-old is now back on Palace’s radar. Patrick Vieira is on the lookout for a defensive midfielder, one capable of helping the Eagles move on from the veteran trio of James McArthur, Cheikhou Kouyate and Luka Milivojevic.
Is Edson Alvarez heading for the Premier League?
One suspects that, if it was Van Basten’s decision to make, he’d snap Crystal Palace’s hand off for £20 million.
“Alvarez is too slow,” the three-time Ballon D’Or winner says of a man who, for all his tactical flexibility and physical strength, lacks the rhythm and technique of his Ajax predecessor De Jong.
“He is run out (the game). He’s not a good defender at speed. He intercepts balls in midfield, but I am not convinced.”
Alvarez has been linked with a move to England plenty of times in the past, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Wolves having reportedly shown an interest.
Celtic also made a bid in the region of £5 million a couple of years ago.
Crystal Palace, meanwhile, obviously see Alvarez as a player capable of enhancing a young, talented and exciting crop of players under Patrick Vieira. A new midfielder is a must, with McArthur, Kouyate and Jeffrey Schlupp out of contract.
Conor Gallagher, meanwhile, will return to Chelsea upon the end of his excellent loan spell.
Palace are keen on former Arsenal loanee Dani Ceballos and have also made a move for Dynamo Moscow’s Daniil Fomin.
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