Chelsea summer target admits he was ‘very disappointed’ move collapsed after late bids

Ajax midfielder Edson Alvarez has admitted that he was “very disappointed” about not joining Chelsea during the summer transfer window.

The Blues were keen to add a new centre-midfielder to their squad late in the summer transfer window.

They had a couple of players on their shortlist as they are known to be admirers of PSV’s Ibrahim Sangare but they opted to bring in Juventus star Denis Zakaria on loan.

This move has not gone to plan for anyone involved as Zakaria has barely featured for Chelsea in the early weeks of this season.

There have already been suggestions that Zakaria’s loan could be cut short in January with him seemingly not part of Graham Potter’s plans.

If this happens, this would likely tempt Chelsea into the market for a new midfielder during the winter transfer window.

Alvarez was another midfielder they targeted before they secured Zakaria’s services. Ajax were unwilling to sell the Mexican after they had already sold the likes of Antony, Lisandro Martinez and Ryan Gravenberch.

But a January move could be on the cards with reports suggesting that Chelsea ‘will be back’ for Alvarez in January.

The player still seems open to this transfer as he was “disappointed” about how his situation unfolded.

“I am very disappointed about it [failed move to Chelsea]. But I am convinced that one day a big club will come,” Alvarez told ESPN in Holland.

“We never expected Chelsea to put in another bid at the end of August. It was a difficult situation. Ajax couldn’t do anything.”

Wesley Sneijder has accused Alvarez of being “useless” to Ajax but he has been defended by Rio Ferdinand and Peter Crouch. 

“I saw some comments from Wesley Sneijder saying that Ajax should have got rid of him when Chelsea put in a bid for him because he passes the ball backwards.

“But he does some of the stuff you don’t normally see, definitely not Instagrammable. He does the stuff when he breaks the play up and allows the more creative players to go and perform. These types of players are so invaluable and you appreciate them so much because they give you the platform to go and play the football Ajax love to play.”

Peter Crouch added: “He is a player that is key to them, they have a lot of forward-thinking players but he’s the one that likes to sit in midfield. A lot of players have gone and Ajax have sold a number of big players recently.

“You look at Antony, Lisandro Martinez, there is a lot of money in their squad, do they have to sell another one? I don’t think they do and they could keep hold of him and potentially build around him.”

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