Wolverhampton Wanderers are weighing up a move for CF America defender Edson Alvarez who has caught one too many eyes over the last few months.
According to a report from the Record, the Liga MX club have made their intentions clear of selling their star centre-back to the highest bidder although the 21-year-old prefers a move to England.
Apart from Wolves, West Ham United and Eredivisie club AFC Ajax have also shown a great deal of interest in the Mexican international, the report adds.
The Club America defender lifted the Gold Cup with the Mexican national team defeating the United States of America by a goal to nil.
The right-footed defender who has also garnered an outside interest from Italian clubs managed 3 goals and 1 assist in 46 appearances across all competitions last term.
Let’s look at the pros and cons of the Mexican defender Alvarez.
Pros
The Mexican international is a versatile player who primarily features as a centre-back but can also play as a right-back and also in a holding midfield role.
America defender is a technically astute player with his passing range and distribution a testament to the Mexican’s comfortable nature with the ball at his feet.
He managed a pass success rate of 84.4% with 0.3 key passes and 1 long ball per game across all competitions.
The 21-year-old stands at 6ft and boasts excellent aerial ability on the pitch, averaging 1.3 successful aerial duels per 90 minutes.
Alvarez’s gameplay also bears a resemblance to World Cup winner N’Golo Kante with his ability to make a tackle to break up the play and recover possession for his side. The Mexican’s work rate is admirable and will come in handy if his move to the Premier League materialises.
He managed 1.8 tackles, 1.3 interceptions, 2 clearances and 0.8 blocks per game last season.
The versatile defender could be a good addition, seeing he could settle in both possession and counter-attacking sides with his attributes.
He also has the likes of his countrymen, Raul Jimenez, in the Wolves dressing room, who could ease his transition to the Premier League.
The right-footed defender will also come with a good resale value seeing his potential and age, in case things don’t go as planned at the Black Country outfit.
Cons
One of the major causes of concern will be the inexperience of the Mexican international of the fast-paced European style of play, especially the English top flight.
The 21-year-old must work on his crossing and one-on-one duels during the defensive phase of play.
He managed 0 crosses and was bypassed by the opposition player 1.5 times per game on an average, which could be worrisome for the English side.
Wolves will compete on multiple fronts throughout the next season and the failure of one of their key signings could push them back hurting their chances of succeeding in the upcoming campaign.
Stat Courtesy: Transfermarkt, Whoscored