As if a relegation fight and the sale of several of the club’s best players this year wasn’t enough to be getting on with, there’s another potential crisis looming owing to one season-long loan for a West Ham player suddenly looking as if it may end in surgery and an early return to London.

Joining Turkish side Fenerbahce on loan last summer, West Ham’s Edson Alvarez left London with a plan to rebuild his career: The loan carried an option to purchase the Mexican at the end of the season, albeit for the eyebrow raising figure of about £19 million.

However the midfielder’s season hasn’t gone to plan: Alvarez has been struggling with a persistent ankle injury which, according to a new report, has just got a whole lot worse. According to si.com :

“Mexico Captain at Risk Of Missing World Cup”:

According to Alvarez , his injury was improving until he aggravated it in the Europa League fixture against Aston Villa.

“Unfortunately, the pain returned after that game. Because of this, and once again in coordination with the technical and medical staff, we’ve decided to stop again to reevaluate the situation and precisely determine the gravity of the injury.”

Further information regarding the timeline for Álvarez’s recovery after his latest injury setback is expected to surface in the coming days. However, there is fear that the injury could require potential surgery, seriously jeopardizing his status for the World Cup”.

Which, if it is to keep him out for several months, will also likely end any ambition ‘El Machin’ has to stay on in Turkey and makes it more likely that he’ll ‘boomerang’ back to West Ham United at – or possibly before- the end of the season: More than likely still in recovery and quite possibly heading for the Championship.