West Ham released their official squad numbers for the new season today, and tucked inside the list was a signal that Edson Alvarez isn't going anywhere. The Mexican captain was reassigned the No.4 shirt, the same number he wears for his country and the number he had switched to before he was sent out on loan last season. This has made some fans and Mexican outlets quick to read it as confirmation that, for now at least, his future lies at the London Stadium rather than in the Eredivisie, La Liga or the Bundesliga. According to DAZN contributor Kery Ruiz, who has tracked Alvarez's situation closely all summer, the midfielder is committing to stay and fight for West Ham's return to the Premier League after deciding to turn down other possible destinations.
It’s been a difficult 18 months for Alvarez. He was sent out to Turkish side Fenerbahce on loan last summer after falling out of favor under former manager Graham Potter. His season in Türkiye was disrupted by injury throughout, including ankle surgery in February that kept him away from the pitch for more than 100 days and over 20 matches. He returned to fitness late in the campaign, but not well enough for José Mourinho's side to trigger their option to sign him permanently. Additionally, Mourinho was hired away by Real Madrid, and Alvarez’s loan ran its course, and he reported back to West Ham late last month after the conclusion of the World Cup.
During the World Cup with Mexico, he had a hard time staying on the pitch consistently despite being named captain for the tournament. His fitness came into question, and his attempt at redemption fell short. Despite his limited playing time, he helped Mexico reach the round of 16, where they lost to England on home soil at the Azteca Stadium. He was asked during a pre-match interview if he saw himself going back to West Ham; his response: “I’m still a West Ham player. Right now I’m focused on the national team, but I will report to them when it's time.”
Broken deals
None of that stopped the transfer speculation. FC Köln were the first club strongly linked, but the move never got past the financial stage. According to Diaz, the German side and West Ham had agreed on a loan-to-buy obligation, but couldn't come to terms with Alvarez on personal terms. After giving FC Köln weeks to work out a deal with the player, they couldn't come close and informed the club that he didn't want to take a dramatic pay cut.
Ajax, where Alvarez spent four productive seasons before his 2023 move to England, were reported to be exploring a reunion, only for the situation to be complicated by the roughly €14 million West Ham are said to still owe the Dutch club from that original transfer. Ajax wanted all the owed funds paid before making the transfer official. The two sides never came close to a solution, and the talks did not go further. Spanish side Real Sociedad made the most concrete move, opening talks over a deal worth around €7.5m for half of his rights, but the offer was way below their evaluation, and no other bids were made.
Since taking on the responsibility of overseeing day-to-day operations, new West Ham chairman Daniel Kretinsky has been explicit about wanting to "retain as many of our key players as possible" through the Championship rebuild, a message director of player recruitment Nils Koppen echoed almost word for word on his own arrival. Koppen has said the aim was to "keep the core squad intact" around the group that finished last season strongly. Nuno Espirito Santo has been saying the same. West Ham’s strategy was to maintain as many Premier League-level players as possible. It has been the priority of the summer transfer window, and Alvarez staying is another clear indication of that.
Where Does He Fit for Nuno?
If no other clubs come for him before the window shuts on September 1st, then how will Nuno deploy him? It will be worth watching closely over the coming weeks. At West Ham, Alvarez has always operated as a defensive midfielder. He’s been a disruptive presence in front of the back four. For Mexico, though, he's spent long spells at centre-back, a position his physicality and reading of the game suit just as well. The Championship's greater physicality plays right into his hands regardless of where he ends up. Few leagues reward his combative, no-nonsense style more than England’s second tier. There's also a leadership dimension to consider. With the dressing room short on senior voices and captain Jarrod Bowen having had to shoulder much of that responsibility alone, Alvarez's experience as Mexico's captain and a player who has competed at World Cups and the Champions League, as well as winning continental finals, should take some of that burden away from Bowen.
It is no surprise that West Ham have made leadership a priority after last season. Nuno has brought James Ward-Prowse back into the fold. Tomas Soucek and Konstantinos Mavropanos have committed along with Bowen, and Joel Veltman was announced as the club’s first incoming transfer of the summer yesterday. The core leadership group now feels set.
Nothing is fully confirmed yet, and the summer window remains open for a while longer, so anything can happen. Fans should not expect a public announcement from West Ham, but between the failed suitors, a board and coaching staff aligned on protecting the core group, and his preferred squad number being reassigned to him, it suggests genuine long-term planning; all the signs point the same way: Edson Alvarez is staying to fight for West Ham's path back to the Premier League.
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