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Manchester United transfer target Edson Álvarez suffered a concerning injury while representing Mexico at the Cope America.
The Mexico team captain slumped to the ground in the 27th minute of his team’s 1-0 win over Jamaica after experiencing pain in the back of his left leg. According to The Mirror, he suffered a hamstring injury, with Mexico manager Jaime Lozano confirming that the team will wait a few days before doing testing on Álvarez to understand the severity of his injury.
As noted by Yahoo Sports, Álvarez was in tears after collapsing and was immediately supported and consoled by his teammates before being stretchered off. Clearly, such signs indicate that there is a true cause for concern.
“This was a tough blow for all of us,” Lozano admitted. “He’s extremely important. He’s a leader, he understands the game well. He’s important on the pitch and in the locker room as well. You listen to him talk, he has a way with words and when he speaks you listen.”
While his participation in the rest of the Copa America tournament has been taken into question, Man United will also be concerned by Álvarez’s setback given their interest in the player.
A few days ago, it was reported by Fabrizio Romano that United were considering an approach of the West Ham United midfielder.
Romano added that Erik ten Hag had already discussed Álvarez internally as a potential transfer, particularly as a replacement for Casemiro should the Brazilian depart the club.
Yesterday, it seemed as if United’s approach was gaining serious momentum, with Florian Plettenberg revealing that Álvarez would be valued at €60 million to €80 million and that, although West Ham are reluctant to sell him, he could depart the club for the right offer.
West Ham’s desire to keep the Mexican midfielder is understandable given his fine Premier League performance last season, averaging 2.6 tackles per game, 5.3 ball recoveries, and 86% passing. He also proved strong in possession, with 66% dribbling, while winning 53% of his ground duels. (Sofascore)
Although Casemiro outperformed Álvarez in terms of aerial duels (66% vs 45%) and tackles per game (3.3), he was significantly outpaced by the Mexican in terms of ground duels (Casemiro won 48%) and dribbling (53%).
One key area where Álvarez has proven to be a more effective holding midfielder was when tracking back to assist his defence. While Casemiro was dribbled past 2.2 times per match, Álvarez was dribbled past just 1.1 times on average. He also made double the number of interceptions per game as Casemiro (1.4 vs 0.7 per game) and lost possession far less (8.4 vs 12).
Sadly, even with this respectable record, the Mexico captain’s injury setback may require United to hold off on his transfer. Given the club’s immense injury crisis last season, Ten Hag’s team is in desperate need of fit individuals who can cover for their injured teammates; a task that Álvarez may not be up for given his recent setback.
While he’s certainly worth keeping an eye on, United would do well to consider other options, particularly due to the need for players with near-term availability.
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