Manchester United have been handed a big blow in the pursuit of West Ham United midfielder Edson Alvarez following his injury on Copa America duty last night.
The Red Devils are aiming to sign a new defensive midfielder this summer and it has been reported that manager Erik ten Hag is eyeing a reunion with Alvarez.
The Dutchman has a ‘high opinion‘ of his former Ajax star and it has been reported that he could be signed for a fee between £51-68 million this summer.
Amidst this, United have suffered an untimely setback with the Mexican captain picking up a nasty injury against Jamaica in the Copa America group stage.
Alvarez was spotted clutching his left hamstring. He was in obvious pain and distraught after being substituted before the 30th minute of the game.
Mexico are expected to conduct tests in the next 48 hours but judging by the tearful reaction of the midfielder, he could be out for the rest of the tournament.
The news is a huge setback for United, who have earmarked him as their future number six.
The 26-year-old had a fine debut campaign for the Hammers. He won an average of 4.9 duels and 2.6 tackles per league game with 5.3 ball recoveries.
Alvarez also made 2.3 clearances and 1.4 interceptions per outing. He lost possession on just eight occasions on average for the London outfit.
He would be a quality replacement for Casemiro in the United squad. The Brazilian lost possession on more than 12 occasions per game last season.
However, a deal could be difficult to pull off this summer, suppose Alvarez has picked up a serious hamstring injury from his Copa America debut.
Stats from Sofascore.com