West Ham United midfielder Edson Álvarez wanted to join Ajax this summer but now looks destined to move to Fenerbahçe after they appeared and took advantage of Ajax’s lack of funds.
That’s according to journalist Cristian Willaert, [relayed by ESPN](https://www.espn.nl/voetbal/artikel/_/id/15565947/alvarez-lag-voor-ajax-gewoon-te-goed-in-de-markt), who has explained the situation with the West Ham man in a recent appearance on Tekengeld.
Álvarez has been linked with a move away from West Ham throughout the summer after seemingly falling out of favour under Graham Potter since his arrival last year.
Ajax had recently been thrown into the mix for him, with it suggested that they could move to bring their former midfielder back to the club as they seek a replacement for Jordan Henderson.
Reports about their interest made it clear that they had to wait until later in the window to make their move as they needed to free up funds by moving players, such as striker Brian Brobbey, on to pastures new.
That’s ended up working against them as Fenerbahçe have taken advantage and moved for the West Ham man, with a deal believed to be progressing rapidly.
Ajax look destined to miss out as a result and that’s frustrating for everyone according to Willaert.
_“The Álvarez camp had long held high hopes that it would happen, which is remarkable because he earns €6m a year in England,”_ he said.
_“He wasn’t planning on making significant concessions. You might hope that West Ham would be willing to make concessions, but they only do that towards the end of the window, when there are no other interested parties._
_“That potential candidate now exists in the form of Fenerbahçe. West Ham doesn’t have to make any concessions there. Moreover, it will be a loan deal with an option to buy. It could only have happened at the very end of the transfer deadline, but Álvarez is simply too popular for that._
_“Contacts with Álvarez’s camp show that there was genuine faith that this would work. Álvarez desperately wanted to return to John Heitinga. But, as is so often the case in football, money ultimately matters. And that’s understandable.”_