Mexico manager Javier Aguirre has said he encouraged José Mourinho to sign West Ham United’s Edson Álvarez for Fenerbahçe in August 2025.
The national team boss gave an interview to journalist Jorge van Rankin. Record in Mexico have relayed his comments, where he says Mourinho called him to ask about the 28-year-old.
West Ham allowed the midfielder to join Fenerbahçe on loan with an option to buy.
Mourinho was in charge when Álvarez joined the Turkish club. However, they parted ways with the manager just days after the Mexico international arrived in Istanbul.
The Portuguese coach returned to the bench a month later when Benfica appointed him as manager in September.
West Ham player offered to Fenerbahçe
Aguirre explained the former Chelsea and Manchester United manager contacted him to find out more about Álvarez.
He took charge of Mexico for the third time in July 2024 and promoted the West Ham man as his captain. The midfielder has been a regular under the manager when available for selection.
Therefore, it’s no surprise Aguirre told Mourinho to go ahead with Álvarez’s signing.
“Mourinho calls me, he calls me on the phone. He says: ‘Javier, they’re offering me Edson, you know him, you have him on the national team, what position does he play?’ ‘He plays like this and like that.’ ‘What do you think? Can he compete?’ Perfectly fine. Take him,” he said.
“Then Edson calls me: ‘Thanks, Mou told me he spoke with you.’ They sign Álvarez and after one match, they fire Mourinho.”
Our take: What next for West Ham owned player
Edson Álvarez has played 1,125 minutes from 17 matches for Fenerbahçe so far but recently underwent surgery. There’s optimism of Álvarez regaining full fitness for the World Cup, but his future beyond this season needs to be clarified.
In November, Sport Witness covered claims that the Turkish club have a €22m purchase option. Fenerbahçe find this figure to be ‘excessive’.
On February 7th, we relayed news from Turkey that Fenerbahçe tried to send him back to Nuno Espírito Santo’s side in January. This clearly didn’t please the former Ajax man.
Fenerbahçe are unlikely to make Álvarez’s stay permanent, at least for €22m. Therefore, he has to return to the Premier League side, and both the player and West Ham have a decision to make in the summer.
