West Ham’s media department have dropped their latest ‘training gallery’: Hammers get set for Lincoln trip” photo library and there’s a very surprising addition to the ‘rogues gallery’ pictured in training as part of the main squad.
It’s’ been a long slow journey back for Edson Alvarez.
Loaned out first by Graham Potter in August 2025, the Mexican had an unhappy season at Fenerbache after losing his manager just after arriving: No sooner had Alvarez landed then ‘the special one’ got his marching orders, meaning Alvarez’ stated dream of working with José Mourinho promptly went up in smoke.
Shortly after, ‘El Machin‘ suffered an ankle injury that plagued him throughout his season and forced him to go under the knife in April, missing the end of his side’s domestic season and leaving him in a race for fitness for the World Cup.
And since then, Alvarez has become embroiled in his families’ domestic saga of unproven allegations of kidnapping that have been rife in his native Mexico. All of which, clearly, he denies.
Expectant of a move overseas before the summer transfer window closed, Alvarez became the biggest star left ‘high and dry’ at West Ham in the championship after his contemporaries left in their droves, yet his own move abroad never materialised.
And yet, here he is, seen in training for the first time this season, surely sparking further specualtion that Nuno may be about to bring him back in from the cold as he’s done with Soungoutou Magassa before him.
Something of a ‘Marmite’ player, with fans split between those who think he should be Captain and those who would ship him out immediately as a liability, Alvarez could yet have a part to play in West Ham’s promotion push having not featured in any squad since the 3-1 Carabao Cup victory against Portsmouth before the Championship contest even started back in August.
Asked about Alvarez’ prospects in this West Ham season, Nuno responded in a typically cryptic manner- but one suggesting the midfielder might need to blow the dust off his match day boots:
“Not all the players have played yet, but the chances will come. All of the players in the building are part of our plans”