When Chelsea FC still saw a need to catch up in the position in front of the defensive line in the final phase of the summer transfer window, Edson Álvarez (25) from Ajax Amsterdam quickly became the focus of the Blues. Because the change period in the Netherlands ended on August 31, one day before the big leagues in Europe, Ajax reportedly rejected an offer for the “six”. Álvarez then did not show up for training, wanting to force a change on Deadline Day. The fact that nothing came of it still annoys the Mexican today. In an interview with the TV channel “ESPNHe said he was “very disappointed” that the move to Stamford Bridge didn’t materialize.
At the time there was talk of an offer of 50 million euros that would have made Álvarez the most expensive Mexican in football history. The right foot is said to have quadrupled his current salary when he switched to Chelsea. “It was a tricky situation,” said Álvarez. The main reason was that Ajax “really could not do anything”. In the event of a sale, Ajax would have had no opportunity to add more to the transfer market and provide an adequate replacement. In addition, there was no other regular “six” in the squad at the time. “There was no other player in my position,” emphasized Álvarez. Ajax only provided reinforcement after the end of the change period in the Netherlands, when the clubless Florian Grillitsch (27) was equipped with a contract.
Harit to Soler: top transfers on Deadline Day in summer 2022
Álvarez, who extended his contract with Ajax until 2025 in October last year, believes that there will be another opportunity to move to a top club. “I’m convinced that sooner or later a big club will come my way,” he said. It would ‘motivate’ him that clubs are watching him at a higher level. While Álvarez stayed at Ajax and has since made 16 appearances with one goal and two assists, Chelsea signed Denis Zakaria (25) on loan from Juventus for defensive midfield on Deadline Day. The Blues paid a €3m fee (up to €4m possible due to bonuses) and on top of that secured a €28m call option, which can grow up to €33m.
However, it seems unlikely that Chelsea will exercise the option as Zakaria has not been used since his arrival in early September. Recently there had already been speculation about a premature end to the loan.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.
