It seems West Ham can breathe a sigh of relief as Man United have instantly switched targets to a monster after an injury to Edson Alvarez.
West Ham are no strangers to seeing their top players linked with moves away.
Even so the sudden news that Manchester United want to sign Edson Alvarez was concerning for fans at the weekend.
Especially as it was recently claimed by Caught Offside that the Mexican midfielder wants to leave West Ham after the club failed to secure European football.
Although they only finished one place above the Hammers, Man United do have Europa League football to offer after winning the FA Cup.
Fabrizio Romano claimed Manchester United want West Ham’s 26-year-old Mexican midfield star as a long-term replacement for Casemiro.
Alvarez became a fundamental player for the Hammers last season after joining from Ajax, where he was managed by Old Trafford boss Erik ten Hag.
Hammers sweating over Man United’s Alvarez interest
Worried West Ham fans hardly had their fears allayed when Alvarez did little to play down talk of a move to Man United in a press conference on the eve of Mexico’s first game at the Copa America at the weekend.
“I can only tell you that I’m focused on what I have to do,” the West Ham man said, as reported by ESPN.
“I know that the Copa America is a very important tournament where the eyes of the world are basically here. Later there will be time to see what there is or what there isn’t.”
Then disaster struck when the reported Manchester United target left the field in tears after suffering a hamstring injury.
The injury is not too serious it seems. But serious enough that Alvarez will not take any part in the rest of the Copa America and will likely be behind schedule in pre-season as a result.
Some Hammers fans suggested the injury might work in the club’s favour by putting Manchester United off Alvarez.
Well there’s West Ham relief as Man United instantly switch targets to a midfield monster after the injury.
West Ham relief as Man United instantly switch targets
No sooner had word emerged from the US that Alvarez had suffered the hamstring injury than it was being reported the Red Devils have turned attentions to a different defensive midfielder.
Ironically the player also happens to be a longstanding West Ham target who came very close to joining the club two years ago.
Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo claims Manchester United have made it clear they are willing to offer Everton £42.5m plus £4m in variables to sign Amadou Onana.
Man United have also made it clear they will give the Belgian a ‘significant salary’ too.
It’s now clear – if it wasn’t already – that any vague hope West Ham might have had of signing Onana is well and truly dead.
Irony as Ten Hag turns to star who almost joined Hammers
But it does at least mean West Ham can breathe a sigh of relief that Man United will leave Alvarez where he is.
If Man United have indeed moved on it’s ruthless from the new INEOS co-owners. But in many ways understandable given the sizeable rebuild needed at Old Trafford.
They clearly want players who can come in and hit the ground running rather than leave themselves open to criticism for signing a player off the back of an injury.
Onana is currently at the Euros with Belgium.
He looked on course to join West Ham in the summer of 2022 from Lille. But he snubbed the move at the 11th hour when David Moyes refused to guarantee him a starting spot.
Then Everton boss Frank Lampard seized an opportunity and did exactly that, leading to Moyes pulling the plug on the move.
Worse still it then emerged the 6ft 5in star – described as a ‘midfield monster’ by journalist Ben Mattinson – had a clear preference to join West Ham had Moyes given him assurances over game time.