Manchester United are ready to begin the new era under Sir Jim Ratcliffe. The Red Devils have shown inconsistency over the years and are not playing their best football. They need a bit of reshuffling in the squad. The likes of Anthony Martial and Raphael Varane have also left the club. Manchester United are back in the transfer market for some quality players.
One player whose future hangs in the balance is Casemiro. The Brazilian has been unable to show his best form since leaving Real Madrid. This is a worrying sign for the Red Devils heading into the 2024-25 season. Erik ten Hag’s side is looking for options and has come up with a few names, including his former player. Edson Alvarez of West Ham United is one of the options considered by the Manchester club.
Alvarez joined the Hammers in 2023 from Ajax. He has been a consistent performer in Europe over the years. The Mexican has also played under Ten Hag and made a name for himself. As the Red Devils look for improvement, we take a look at what Alvarez offers to the midfield.
Debut season in England
The Hammers sold Declan Rice last summer to Arsenal. They had money to invest in players and decided to bring Edson Alvarez. With around 150 matches under his belt in European football, Alvarez brought in plenty of experience. He made 31 English Premier League appearances in his debut season at the club.
The above viz shows the percentile rank of the player in comparison to other left-defensive midfielders in Tier 1 of league football. Alvarez is ranked among the best for his defensive work. His positioning and duels winning ability make him one of the best in the business. Overall, Alvarez had a pretty decent season in English football.
Edson sits in front of the defence for the Hammers. The 26-year-old midfielder is known for his defensive contributions to the team. By looking at the above viz we can observe that Alvarez covered a lot of areas on the field. He made a few errors by giving away fouls and even a penalty. West Ham struggled to find their rhythm following Rice’s departure. However, Edson managed to make interceptions in crucial areas to stop the opposition.
One area where the Mexican proved himself was in blocking away shots. Edson Alvarez made 21 blocks, with most of them coming on the edge of the penalty box. This proves that the Mexican is not afraid to put his body on the line.
Edson Alvarez’s threat in the attacking half
West Ham’s defensive midfielder ended the season with one goal. He is a threat during set-pieces. Alvarez’s arrival has given more freedom to Tomas Soucek. A deeper role has led to only a few shots in his first season.
Edson knows how to move the ball. He is not known for his creativity on the field. The Mexican enforcer can play some crucial passes in tight areas and break the opposition’s defence.
One area where Alvarez proved crucial for the Hammers was in recovering the ball high up on the field. Edson was involved in counter-pressing as well as dangerous recoveries. When compared with Casemiro, the Mexican midfielder made more recoveries in the attacking areas. Some dangerous recoveries even came on the edge of the penalty box.
Manchester United have made an enquiry about his transfer. The Red Devils are looking for more options as well. They will wait until the continental cups get over and then make a move.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
