While West Ham United are not at ‘bomb squad’ territory, there are still a few players Graham Potter would ideally like to move on before the transfer window closes. Edson Alvarez among them.
The good news is that, while movement has been in short supply regarding the likes of Emerson Palmieri, Guido Rodriguez and Tomas Soucek of late, the end appears to be in sight for a certain captain of Mexico.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce opened talks with West Ham United regarding a deal for Edson Alvarez on Monday.
The £35 million signing from Ajax was an unused substitute as West Ham suffered an embarrassing 3-0 loss at Sunderland on the opening weekend of the new Premier League campaign.
While this was is not as cut and dry as Potter preferring Rodriguez and James Ward-Prowse in the centre of the park – Alvarez is a few weeks behind in his preparations after helping Mexico win the CONCACAF Gold Cup at the beginning of the summer – but regular starts have been hard to come by throughout the Potter era.
Now, one of the most reliable sources in Turkish football – Yagiz Sabuncuoglu – has come forth with an update of his own.
Alvarez to Fenerbahce is not quite a done deal yet, but it may well be in the coming days.
Yagiz Sabuncuoglu says West Ham United’s Edson Alvarez is close to Fenerbahce move
Writing on his social media, Sabuncuoglu reports that Fenerbahce are set to sign Alvarez on loan with an option-to-buy clause in his contract. West Ham would ideally prefer an obligation, of course.
But, on a more positive note, Fenerbahce have allegedly agreed to pay every single penny of Alvarez’s £100,000-a-week wages between now and the end of June [Capology].
Therefore, on wages alone, the Hammers stand to save £4 million over the next ten months should all go to plan.
“Fenerbahce are close to finalising a loan deal with a purchase option for Edson Alvarez,” Sabuncuoglu reveals. “West Ham requested the payment of the loan fee along with the player’s full salary, and Fenerbahce have agreed to these terms.
“Final negotiations regarding the purchase option are ongoing. The player is awaiting the clubs’ agreement.”
One year after West Ham beat Mourinho and Fenerbahce to the signature of Guido Rodriguez – another midfielder they would ideally like to move on – the former Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur coach is finally getting the deep-lying central midfielder he is craving.
Alvarez’s agent said a return to Eredivisie giants Ajax is ‘difficult’
A return to Ajax has also been mooted for a man who helped the Amsterdam giants dominate Dutch football alongside Erik ten Hag.
Edson Alvarez’s agent spoke out last week, meanwhile. And though he would not rule out a second spell at the Johan Cruyff Arena, Nathan van Kooperen did indicate that a deal would be hard to strike with Ajax under pressure to raise funds first.
“[A return to Ajax is] difficult, but not impossible,” Van Kooperen told ESPN on Friday. “[But] certainly not today or tomorrow.”
Fenerbahce now look set to take advantage as Ajax sit around and wait for sales.
Speaking of sales, Hammers News can confirm that West Ham may still cash in on Soucek, Emerson, Rodriguez and Nayef Aguerd over the next fortnight.
Leeds and Everton showed interest in Soucek back in May but everything is quiet around the towering Czech goal-getter right now. Real Betis turned down Emerson, while former Los Verdiblancos ace Guido Rodriguez appears no closer to a La Liga return.
Aguerd endured a difficult opening weekend, meanwhile, part of the defence ripped to pieces by Sunderland.
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