Towards the end of the summer transfer window, Chelsea made attempts to sign a few midfielders before they settled for Denis Zakaria.
The Switzerland international arrived at the west London club on a loan deal from Juventus.
Prior to bringing Zakaria in, Chelsea made an attempt to take Edson Álvarez away from Ajax. The Blues, however, were left disappointed after the Eredivisie winners turned down their bid for the 25-year-old.
Star+ have interviewed the Mexico international, and he revealed the late bid from the Premier League side had left him surprised.
“There had been a follow-up of course and we never, never imagined that in the last few days that bid would come in, so it was a complicated scenario since Ajax really had their hands tied, they couldn’t do anything, they didn’t have a player in my position,” Álvarez said, relayed by ESPN.
“Obviously, I fought as hard as I could, I didn’t want to stretch things so much either because I know the responsibility I have here at the club, but in the end, you know that everything changes, a better league, a better life for you and your family.”
The Ajax player’s efforts to get a move to Chelsea did not end up yielding any result. Although he was left disappointed, the failed move to join the Blues in the last window gives Álvarez hope of getting himself a transfer to a top club in the coming windows.
“Today I am here for the love of football, but also for my family, so that they are well, to be able to have my daughters, my parents well,” he explained.
“On the other hand, it motivates me to know that teams of that size are following my games, my performances, and it left me with a thorn, but I have no doubt that sooner or later something very big will come for me. The possibilities exist in winter, summer, in another year, there are always possibilities.”
Jorginho and N’Golo Kanté are among the midfielders currently at Stamford Bridge. The duo’s deals expire next June, and the latter has been struggling with injuries.
Taking their situations into account, Chelsea could look at a new midfielder. Whether that would be Álvarez or another player remains to be seen.
