With more departures looming at West Ham, Edson Álvarez and his agent are working overtime to force an exit from the London Stadium. The problem isn’t simple: clubs don’t want to meet the £20m valuation, even though the Mexican midfielder is reportedly willing to drop his £50k-a-week Championship wage to make a move happen.
It’s baffling that Nuno was keen to keep a player that wasn’t prepared to stay for at least one season, especially when promotion would see his salary double to £100k a week. It’s hardly a bad incentive.
Real Sociedad Move Takes Shape
Right now, Real Sociedad are the only club showing genuine interest, but their initial proposal to buy 50% of his economic rights was a non-starter for West Ham.
Incredibly, it seems a compromise has been reached, whereby Álvarez will join the Spanish club on a season-long loan. This is baffling as the player turns 29 in October and thereafter, with only a year left on his contract, his value will further decrease. Whether the club have inserted an option or obligation into the deal remains to be seen; supporters will hope it’s the latter.
Sociedad, averaging 30,698 fans and finishing 8th in La Liga last season, is understood to be Álvarez’s preferred destination.
Nuno Left With Another Midfield Problem
With Álvarez reportedly withdrawing himself from the squad against Burnley and a dressing room already feeling fractured, Nuno and his staff face a seriously uphill battle to keep the wider group focused and committed. The loan would remove a disengaged player from the wage bill, sure, but equally it’s a poor deal for a club trying to rebuild, and doesn’t free up any further transfer funds to secure a replacement.
ha ha defo the old mad dog approach , i got a wedding to go to next Saturday so i best get meself sent off this Saturday , and the same as defoe did when he wanted out x
The only world class player left at the club who is leaving because of Nuno. He falls out with too many players for it not to be a flaw in his man management. He will not get us promoted or play decent football.
It might free up funds if we aren’t paying any wages and there is a loan fee attached. But given how the board are behaving, I doubt they’d reinvest it anyway Martin.
Either way this is one guy who needs to be gone. A liability on and off the pitch even at Championship level, as we saw against Pompey. Red card waiting to happen every week.