David Orstein has made an exciting new claim about a West Ham move for a £40m star after Chelsea failure as contact is made for Edson Alvarez.
The names Edson Alvarez and David Ornstein will be well known to fans of both West Ham and Chelsea.
One is a top international midfielder linked with both clubs in the last 12 months. The other is a respected journalist who is seriously in the know when it comes to transfers.
West Ham have been heavily linked with a move for Ajax star Alvarez as a replacement for Declan Rice.
But the last update on West Ham’s pursuit of the Mexican came over a week ago now.
That has changed today, though, as West Ham look to go one better than London rivals Chelsea did last year.
David Orstein makes exciting new claim about West Ham move for £40m star Chelsea missed out on as contact made for Edson Alvarez
When Todd Boehly arrived at Chelsea one of the first players the new regime targeted was 25-year-old Alvarez.
Chelsea contacted Ajax about the prime West Ham target and made a £42.8m offer.
The move looked set to go through but dragged on to the point Ajax pulled the plug as they felt there was insufficient time to find a replacement.
Ironically Chelsea instead completed a late loan move for Juventus’ Denis Zakaria – who is another reported top target for West Ham this summer.
Now Orstein has made an exciting new claim about a West Ham move for the £40m star after Chelsea failure as contact is made for Alvarez.
‘An offer is expected to follow’
Reporting for The Athletic, Orstein says West Ham have contacted Ajax to express their interest in signing the midfield destroyer.
“An offer has yet to be made but that is expected to follow, with the Dutch club seeking a fee of around £35-40million ($45.9m-$52.4m) for the 25-year-old,” Ornstein states.
The journalist has also confirmed Chelsea were on the brink of signing Alvarez last summer only for the move to collapse for the reasons stated above.
Last week Dharmesh Sheth revealed Alvarez was still on a list of seven top targets compiled by West Ham in the summer transfer window.
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