Chelsea were seemingly very close to completing the transfer of Edson Alvarez while he was at Ajax, only for them to block the deal at the last minute.
The Mexico international, now at West Ham United, shone during his time at Ajax and attracted plenty of links with bigger clubs, and it seems things with Chelsea were actually very advanced.
Discussing it now, Alvarez says he was ready to get on a plane to join the Blues, only for Ajax to suddenly cancel the deal and tell him he wasn’t going.
Alvarez could surely have been a fine signing for Chelsea, but it wasn’t to be, and West Ham fans will no doubt be glad they ended up getting him instead, with the 26-year-old proving a good addition to David Moyes’ squad this season.
Looking back at how his Chelsea move collapsed, Alvarez doesn’t seem to have too many regrets, but it’s certainly interesting to hear more inside information about these deals.
Alvarez transfer to Chelsea was an hour away, according to the player
“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’,” Alvarez said, as quoted by Fox Sports Mexico.
“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 and Ajax told me: ‘you’re not going’. So, you’re not leaving, what do you do? There’s no way you’re leaving.”
Chelsea have instead invested big money in other midfielders in recent times, such as Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo, who should have big futures at Stamford Bridge even if they’re not yet reaching their full potential.