West Ham United are set to miss out on Ajax’s Edson Alvarez with Fabrizio Romano reporting that the Premier League linked midfielder is close to joining Borussia Dortmund instead.
West Ham are not the only club facing up to the unenviable challenge of replacing a talismanic England international. While Declan Rice continues to find himself in the centre of a transfer tug of war – Arsenal, Man City and Manchester United battling for control of the rope – last season’s Bundesliga runners-up have a Jude Bellingham-shaped whole in the heart of their midfield.
Bellingham sealed his long-awaited move to Real Madrid earlier this month.
Edson Alvarez would not be a direct replacement. He is more defensively-minded than the box-to-box Brummie, after all. But his impending arrival from Ajax would go a long way to offsetting the loss of Bellingham’s power, poise and presence in the centre of the park.
West Ham miss out on Edson Alvarez
“Edson Alvarez has almost agreed personal terms with Borussia Dortmund,” Romano writes on Twitter.
“Concrete talks between BVB and Ajax are set to start. BVB (will make an) official bid, set to be submitted next week to accelerate on the deal.”
Romano explained 24 hours earlier that Alvarez, should he seal his move to the Signal Iduna Park, will sign a six-year deal until the summer of 2028. Dortmund are hoping to finalise a deal by the end of June.
West Ham, then, will have to look elsewhere in pursuit of their own midfield additions. According to The Guardian, David Moyes’ Conference League champions had set their sights on the 6ft 4ins Mexico international. But – even with Rice’s sale expected to bring in at least £80 million – the Hammers had little interest in stumping up the £45 million demanded by Ajax for Alvarez.
West Ham could now turn their attention to Monaco’s Youssouf Fofana instead.
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