Mexican Soccer Player Edson Álvarez Close to Joining West Ham United in Premier League: Career and Mexican Players in EPL

Edson Álvarez is close to becoming the fourth Mexican soccer player to play for West Ham United in the English Premier League as various reports indicate that the negotiation with Ajax is almost complete.

The ‘Hammers’ and Ajax have reached a verbal agreement for the transfer of ‘Machín’ in exchange for 40 million euros plus bonuses, according to the reporter Fabrizio Romano and The Athletic site.

Edson Álvarez -much criticized last season- will travel to London, England to undergo medical tests with West Ham and if all goes well, he would sign a five-year contract with his new club.

The national team received an offer of 50 million euros from Chelsea, according to rumors, and another of 35 million dollars from Borussia Dortmund, but Ajax rejected them.

Edson Álvarez has been a league champion with Ajax in two seasons. (PHOTO: EFE)

This has been the career of Edson Álvarez

Edson Omar Álvarez Velázquez was born on October 24, 1997 in Tlalnepantla de Baz, one of the municipalities with the greatest perception of insecurity in the State of Mexico.

The ‘Machín’ -as he is nicknamed- saw soccer as a way to improve his life and that is why he did not mind traveling almost 50 kilometers daily from Tlalnepantla to Coapa to train in the basic forces of Club América.

Edson Álvarez made his debut with America in 2016. (Isaac Esquivel Monroy)

Due to his style of play similar to that of Rafael Márquez, the Mexican pivot caught the attention of Argentine coach Ricardo Antonio La Volpe, who made his debut in Liga MX with the Águilas, in 2016.

Edson Álvarez quickly became a starter at América and in the 2018 Apertura final against Cruz Azul he scored the two goals that gave his team the league championship.

Edson Álvarez was champion with América in 2018. (Gabriela Pérez Montiel)

That same year he participated in the 2018 World Cup in Russia with the Mexican National Team, although unfortunately he scored an own goal in the defeat against Sweden.

In 2019 he was signed by Ajax, with whom he has won two Eredivisie leagues and a Dutch Cup. He also has an MX Cup with América and two Gold Cups with Tricolor in his record.

Mexicans who have played for West Ham and in the Premier League

Edson Álvarez would become the fourth Mexican footballer to play for West Ham United, behind ‘Chicharito’, Pablo Barrera and Guillermo Franco, although his predecessors did not do very well.

The first was the Argentine-Mexican Guillermo Franco, who after standing out with Rayados and Villarreal, played with the ‘Hammers’ in the 2009-10 season and scored five goals in 23 games.

Then it was Pablo Barrera -also a native of Tlalnepantla- who left the Pumas to sign with the London club in 2010, who lent him to Zaragoza for a season and then sold him to Cruz Azul.

Javier Hernández is the last antecedent with West Ham from 2017 to 2019. He did not have much regularity because the coach who asked for his signing was fired and the new coach, David Moyes, had already directed him at Manchester United and did not have him too much confidence.

Edson Álvarez could also be the eleventh Mexican to play in the English Premier League:

Jared Borgetti (Bolton) Nery Castillo (West Ham) Giovanni dos Santos (Tottenham) Carlos Vela – (Arsenal) Guillermo Franco – (West Ham) Javier Hernández- (Manchester United and West Ham) Carlos Salcido – (Fulham) Pablo Barrera – ( West Ham) Miguel Layún – (Watford) Raúl Jiménez – (Wolverhampton and Fulham)
2023-08-08 03:13:14
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