PL star reveals how Ajax blocked his move to Chelsea at the last moment
West Ham star midfielder Edson Alvarez reveals that he was close to moving to Chelsea and even had a plane waiting for him before Ajax blocked his move, following a £35 million move to the Hammers.
The Hammers signed Alvarez from Ajax last summer in a deal worth around £35 million. The move for Alvarez came after West Ham sold Declan Rice to Arsenal in a £105 million deal, with David Moyes needing to strengthen his midfield options.
Alvarez has since gone on to make 35 appearances so far in his debut season in English football with West Ham. The 26-year-old also has two goals to his name, with one each in the Premier League and Europa League.
However, as Alvarez explains, things may have gone very differently. The Mexico international claimed that he was close to signing for Chelsea months before joining West Ham. Alvarez said he was “one hour away” from boarding an aircraft to sign a deal with Chelsea.
However, he claims that Ajax decided at the eleventh hour that he would not be leaving the club. The Mexico international said:
“Actually, in year three [at Ajax], I had to go to Chelsea, the plane was waiting for me at the airport, When Ajax told me, You know what: you’re not going.”
“Whether people believe it or not, it doesn’t make any difference to me, I’m the one who is here and the one who is living it. I was an hour away from getting on the plane and going to sign for Chelsea. Ajax told me: ‘You’re not going’. So, you’re not leaving, what do you do? There’s no way you’re leaving.”
Alvarez was clearly unhappy, as so many other players were allowed to move from Ajax but the club was not ready with a replacement for Edson so they had to stop him from transferring. This made it “extra hard” for Edson, said Nathan van Kooperen.
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Despite his failed Chelsea transfer, Alvarez remained a crucial part of the Ajax squad during the 2022-23 campaign. He made 44 appearances across all competitions, scoring four goals and providing three assists. Alvarez is currently set to stay at the London Stadium until 2028.