€192 million was what Dutch champions Ajax Amsterdam got after the sale of Matthijs de Ligt, Frenkie de Jong, and Kasper Dolberg in the 2019 summer transfer window. So, even though key players left, Ajax has accumulated massive financial; resources. And so, they began building for the future by buying young talent who could be developed into future stars. One of the players signed in the same transfer window was Edson Alvarez. The then 21-year-old was signed for a meagre €15 million from the Mexican club CF America.
Alongside Edson Alvarez, Ajax also signed Ryan Gravenberch and Lisandro Martinez. These players were seen as the future of the club. Three years later, it is safe to say that Ajax’s gambit on all three players has paid off big time.
Ajax stormed to a record 36th Eredivisie title in 2021-22, and Alvarez played a big part in it. The Mexican played in a double pivot with Gravenberch, which formed the midfield bedrock for Erik Ten Hag.
After a spectacular season, Ajax are again facing the 2019 summer situation. So, will Alvarez find a new club, or will he extend his stay at Ajax? Before we answer this, here is an analysis of Edson Alvarez.
Run Alvarez Run
Playing as a defensive midfielder in Ten Hag’s system requires a player to be physical, a hard runner and an accurate passer. Edson Alvarez ticks all the boxes. His heatmap from SofaScore shows that the youngster covers a lot of ground in a match. Alvarez is the shield for his centre-backs, Martinez, and Jurrien Timber.
The Mexican’s main job is to intercept passing lanes and ensure that Ajax are never caught defensively. For his position, Alvarez is fast and can quickly cover lots of ground which helps Ajax maintain their shape. He is like Thomas Muller in the Raumdeuter role but in midfield rather than attack.
Wouldn’t be my first choice, but Edson Alvarez would be a good signing to play next to De Jong, not an amazingly technical player but is reasonably tidy and would allow De Jong to do this thing further forward
Can always return to market next season for a better player as well
— Casey Evans (@Casey_Evans_) June 19, 2022
What makes him unique is that despite being a defensive beast, he does not tackle that often. Instead, he blocks the passing lanes to intercept or block the ball. However, he does tackle a lot more in the attacking third, where he knows he can disrupt the opposition’s rhythm and escape punishment from the referee.
His defensive insight…
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