One of West Ham United’s summer signings is shaping up to be the a candidate for the best Premier League newcomer in 2023/24 – and, to think, he was only ‘an hour away’ from joining a London rival one year earlier.
The contrast was night and day.
As West Ham United found themselves 2-0 down at home to a doomed-to-relegation Burnley outfit – boos echoing as Konstantinos Mavropanos’ calamitous own goal doubled the lead given to The Clarets by David Fofana’s early blockbuster – David Moyes turned to his bench and replaced his struggling newbie with a man who has enjoyed far greater success since donning claret-and-blue.
Out went Kalvin Phillips, his dismal start to life at West Ham continuing, and on came Edson Alvarez.
Edson Alvarez a big hit at West Ham United
It is no coincidence that West Ham lost 2-0 in the first half with Phillips at the base of their midfield, and won 2-0 in the second with Alvarez, Moyes’ side fighting back to claim a point.
Now, Alvarez has his weaknesses. His passing can be pedestrian at times, and he’s certainly not the quickest. But when it comes to sheer presence and power in the ‘number six’ spot, Alvarez is the sort of player who haunts the dreams of opposition attackers.
And it’s not often we’ve had chance to say this over the last two decades. But West Ham’s gain – as far as the summer signing from Ajax is concerned – is most certainly Chelsea’s loss.
According to Alvarez’s agent, West Ham’s embattled London rivals failed with a £51 million bid for the former Club America enforcer during the summer of 2022. Around 12 months later, The Hammers got a deal done for some £16 million less, and how Mauricio Pochettino could do with a defensive midfielder with Alvarez’s bone-ratting qualities these days.
‘An hour away’ from joining Chelsea
“In year three (at Ajax), I had (the chance) to go to Chelsea,” Alvarez now tells Caliente TV. “The plane was waiting for me at the airport. Ajax told me; ‘You know what, you’re not going’.
“Whether people believe or don’t believe, it doesn’t matter exactly the same to me. I am the one who is here and the one who is living it.
“I was an hour away from getting on the plane and going to sign for Chelsea, and the Ajax told me; ‘You’re not leaving. There’s no way you’re leaving’.”
Chelsea, it seems, have Manchester United to blame. Ajax had already sold Antony and Lisandro Martinez to the Red Devils and were therefore under no pressure to cash in on Alvarez too.
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