In a recent report, the Danish news outlet Bold has mentioned that West Ham United are set to complete the transfer of Frederik Alves from Silkeborg IF in January. It is believed that the Hammers have already agreed on personal terms with the Danish youngster ahead of a potential move for him when the transfer window reopens at the start of next year (via Bold).
Alves’ Rapid Rise In Danish Football
The 20-year-old has successfully established himself as a regular starter in Silkeborg’s first-team and has already put in some solid defensive displays for them at the back. The Hvidore-born centre-half has done well to make a total of 48 senior appearances for the Danish outfit, picking up one assist along the way across all fronts which is an incredible feat for a player of his age.
It has also been reported that the East London outfit will have to cough up DKK 10m (£1.2m) to acquire the services of Alves this winter. He is currently an important member of Denmark’s U-21 team having featured in four matches for them thus far.
The Danish whizkid’s ceiling is sky-high so the Hammers will do well to lure him to the London Stadium with the hope that he can be a regular first-team starter for them in the years to come.
What Are The Danish Defender’s Best Attributes?
Standing at 1.92m, Alves can be an intimidating presence inside his penalty area as he has got the strength to outmuscle the opposition in the air. He often comes out on top when engaged in 50-50 duels with the opponent, but needs to improve his tackling if he intends to become a class act in defence someday.
The Danish prospect has shown good defensive awareness that has helped him clear the danger when called into action inside his half. However, he is still quite raw and would need time to develop himself into a top-level centre-half, so David Moyes needs to be patient with his progress if he can successfully land him during the winter transfer period.
Is Alves A Prospect For The Future?
At 20, Alves has shown a lot of promise with his commanding performances in Danish football. However, it would be quite enticing for him to seal a career-defining move to England in January as he will finally get the chance to prove his worth against the best players at the highest level.
At the moment, Alves is nowhere near good enough to break into Moyes’ starting XI. Even then, he has still got plenty of time to transform himself into a composed defender at the back so that he can make a significant impact in the Premier League in a few years’ time. With all things considered, Alves is undeniably a prospect to look out for in the future which would make him a decent long-term acquisition for the Hammers in January.
