West Ham have held talks over ‘one of the best’ midfielders around – journalist

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West Ham United are currently looking for midfield reinforcements ahead of the start of the new season.

The Hammers sold the talismanic Declan Rice to the tune of £100million up front earlier this summer.

While West Ham have made a big profit they can now reinvest, the onus is on them to find a worthy replacement.

Several names have been doing the rounds, such as James Ward-Prowse and Joao Palhinha.

Now, Ryan Taylor has provided an update on West Ham’s pursuit of Ajax star Edson Alvarez on GiveMeSport.

The Athletic recently reported that the Hammers were expected to make a bid for the 25-year-old.

Ajax apparently value Alvarez at around £35-40 million, which shouldn’t be beyond West Ham’s reach.

“Edson Alvarez, from what I understand, is a target,” Taylor told GiveMeSport.

“There has already been initial discussion.

“And, you know, Ajax are a club that have shown a willingness to sell this summer.

“But it would take a bid of about £35million to get that done from what I understand.

“Which is a fee which is definitely affordable given the Palhinha bid that just went in.

“But it seems West Ham are a little bit hesitant on that one at the moment.”

Our view

Alvarez looks like a great shout for the Hammers and he’s a good target for them to pursue.

He’s a quality player with good experience heading into his prime.

Alvarez has 147 appearances for Ajax to his name, as well as two Eredivisie titles and one Dutch Cup on his CV.

Last year, speaking on BT Sport (26/10 7:37pm), Rio Ferdinand called the player ‘invaluable‘.

Likewise, Alvarez has been crucial for Mexico over the years, with 63 caps and the 2019 Gold Cup to his name.

He has also taken part in two World Cups for his nation, in 2018 and 2022.

As testament to his quality, Borussia Dortmund have reportedly expressed an interest in Alvarez.

“He would come to a big team,” Bundesliga ambassador Pavel Parvo told AS in May. “A sensational club that has a lot of fans and that always has to win.

“Edson would come as a start signing and I don’t have any doubts that he would be one of the best players, not only at Dortmund but in the whole league.”

At the same time, you can understand why West Ham are being cautious in the market.

They are looking to bolster their ranks in several positions, and so they must make the Rice money last.