As we reported yesterday, AC Milan has proposed a bold swap deal to lure Edson Alvarez from West Ham, offering Ruben Loftus-Cheek as part of the exchange.
Milan’s coach, Paulo Fonseca, recently switched to a 4-4-2 formation, resulting in Loftus-Cheek being relegated to the subs bench. The English midfielder could potentially be sold in the upcoming winter or summer transfer windows but Milan seem keen to use him a part-ex player.
Former Hammers target Fonseca is under severe pressure to retain his job following a poor start to the season and back-to-back losses against Liverpool and city rivals Inter. With the Portuguese coach seemingly on the cusp of being sacked, he made the tactical switch that saw Milan beat Lecce 3-0 in Serie A.
It appears Loftus-Cheek is surplus to requirements and is being offered around Europe by agents because Milan does not have the funds for a replacement. This has brought Alvarez into focus, but make no mistake about it: this would not be a fair swap.
Milan would need to sweeten the deal with cash sent to West Ham, which makes the transfer unlikely. It’s also worth noting that Fonseca’s side lost to Fiorentina before the international break, and the entire house of cards could come tumbling down if they lose to Udinese in their next match, potentially dropping the Rossoneri out of the top ten.
Fonseca has been linked with the Hammers’ job for over four years, and should he depart, David Moyes has been suggested as one of his potential replacements.