After the brief will-he-won’t-he saga of the last few days, clarity at last arrives with regards to the future of Mexico and now-former West Ham United midfielder Edson Alvarez.
In the space of around 72 hours, this was a transfer which initially looked destined to happen at breakneck pace, then appeared to hit a speed bump, only to end up getting over the finish line anyway.
West Ham United made Edson Alvarez available for transfer alongside a host of other high-earning, highly-experienced operators while looking to raise the funds required to sign the likes of Southampton’s £40 million-rated Mateus Fernandes.
Fabrizio Romano reported on Thursday that Edson Alvarez was set to join Fenerbahce despite rival interest from the likes of Ajax, Borussia Dortmund and FC Porto. Jose Mourinho’s Turkish powerhouses reaching a breakthrough and fighting off rival suitors from across the continent.
And on Friday lunchtime, the Mexico captain touched down in Istanbul, greeted at the airport by director of football Devin Ozek, before being pictured for the very first time in his new colours.
According to The Guardian, Porto and long-time admirers Borussia Dortmund both made loan offers.
Edson Alvarez’s agent would not rule out an Ajax return either, although it quickly became apparent that the Dutch giants could not afford to re-sign a player they sold for a cool £35 million a couple of summers ago.
Exactly why, or how, Fenerbahce eventually won the race remains to be seen.
Yagiz Sabuncuoglu, one of the most reliable reporters in Turkey, did say that the Super Lig runners-up were willing to take responsibility for Alvarez’s £100,000-a-week wages, though. According to Cumhurriyet, Fenerbahce also have the ‘option’ to sign the 27-year-old on a permanent basis at the end of the current campaign.
As such, West Ham could save over £5 million by getting Alvarez’s annual pay packet off the wage bill, while also putting plans in place to get him off the books full-time later down the line.
In pictures provided by Fenerbahce’s official X account, meanwhile, Alvarez was all smiles while holding up a yellow and navy scarf alongside his wife and their two young daughters.
Chelsea and Barcelona rule out Andrey Santos and Marc Casado sales
Exactly how much Fenerbahce will pay to potentially keep Alvarez in Turkey, provided he succeeds under Jose Mourinho at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium, is unknown at this stage.
Yet, getting one high earner out the door should free up the money West Ham need to finance a replacement.
Southampton rejected a £32m bid for Mateus Fernandes this week, holding out for £40 million. Per The Guardian, West Ham have now made an offer for Monaco marvel Soungoutou Magassa having been informed that Marc Casado will stay at Barcelona and Chelsea do not plan to sell Andrey Santos.
“I’m very happy with Andrey and very happy with Andrey staying here with us,” Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca said before Friday’s 8pm clash with West Ham at the London Stadium.
“He can play in Enzo’s [Fernandez] position for sure, he can play in Moi’s [Caicedo] position. He played one game from the start in the Club World Cup against Palmeiras, when he was very good as a number six.
“So the good thing is that he can play in both positions very good.”
“I spoke with Marc Casado,” Hansi Flick, the head cooch of Barcelona, would say during his own press conference. “I don’t see him wanting to leave the team, nor do I think I want that either.
“He gives me confidence, and that is what I want as a coach.”
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