Edson Alvarez seemed on the brink of joining Borussia Dortmund from Ajax before a move collapsed at the 11th hour, opening the door for other suitors to enter the frame.
Despite agreeing personal terms with the Mexico international, new Die Borussen sporting director Sebastien Kehl withdrew from negotiations due to the Dutch club’s excessive demands.
According to De Telegraaf, Dortmund deemed Ajax’s €40 million asking price absurd and pulled out of the talks, even though they had a five-year contract agreement with the player.
Known for carefully managing their funds, last season’s Bundesliga runners-up will pursue cheaper alternatives, leaving the 25-year-old open for the taking.
Chelsea saw their deadline-day €50m offer for Alvarez rejected last summer, but the Blues may reignite their interest now that the midfielder’s move to Signal Iduna Park has collapsed.
While Chelsea could pick up where they left off last year and bid up to €60m to get the deal over the line this summer, the Mexican isn’t convinced by the Stamford Bridge project.
He has two more years left on his contract in Amsterdam and is in no hurry to leave, although this feels like a perfect time for him to take his career to the next level following an impressive four-year stint in the Eredivisie.
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag can take some credit for Alvarez’s rise to prominence, having navigated his development during his prolific managerial career at the Johan Cruyff Arena.
In his first summer transfer window at Old Trafford, the Dutchman showed proclivities for rekindling former associations, as witnessed by the deals that brought Antony and Lisandro Martinez to Manchester.
Ten Hag could be looking to do more business with his former employers, considering his hunt for a new central midfielder has hit a dead end after Chelsea refused each of United’s three offers for Mason Mount.
Alvarez boasts different characteristics than the Englishman, but he could still be a decent coup for the Red Devils, whose interest in his services has never got off the ground.
That narrative could change in the coming weeks, especially if Fred or Scott McTominay were to leave the Theatre of Dreams.
Alvarez’s technical attributes, tactical awareness and versatility would make him an invaluable asset, while the price is not too steep by Man United’s standards.