In a recent column on Caught offside, renowned journalist Ben Jacobs claimed that Newcastle United wanted to land Ajax midfielder Edson Alvarez. Jacobs said,
“Arsenal considered Alvarez in January to a degree, but it became quickly clear Ajax didn’t want to do mid-season business. Liverpool have looked at Alvarez before and chose not to proceed and Newcastle are another club to have him at least loosely on their radar.”
Alvarez’s Impressive Run of Form In Dutch Football This Season
The 25-year-old is enjoying a solid campaign at the Amsterdam club as he has managed to put in a string of dominant displays at the centre of Ajax’s midfield. Alvarez has registered one goal and two assists in 25 appearances for the Dutch club this season across various competitions.
The Mexican sensation has anchored the midfield with conviction based on his average of 2.4 tackles, 1.1 interceptions, 2.4 clearances, 2.1 shots, 0.8 key passes and 0.7 dribbles per game in the Dutch Eredivisie. He has even been accurate when distributing the ball from midfield after making 88.5% of his attempted passes in the Dutch top tier (stats via whoscored).
Should Newcastle United Head Coach Eddie Howe Go Back For Alvarez In The Summer?
Alvarez can get stuck in with some crunching tackles to make life tough for the opposition at the centre of the park. He can read the danger well to make a few timely interceptions for his team and doesn’t hesitate to clear the danger when required.
The Mexican midfield ace can strike the ball with venom and accuracy from long range and can also create some decent chances for his teammates in the final third. He is primarily a defensive midfielder but can also fill in as a central defender if asked to do so.
We can expect Alvarez to bring more quality to Newcastle boss Eddie Howe‘s midfield department and could help the Tyneside club challenge for some major trophies in the coming seasons.
Alvarez is playing at a high level at the moment and could make an instant impact at St. James’ Park if Howe can find a way to snap him up in the summer.
However, only time will tell whether the Mexican can find a way to make a smooth transition to life at Tyneside. Still, the pros outweigh the cons of recruiting him, so Howe should think about going back in for Alvarez when the transfer window commences once again later this year.
