West Ham United are closing in on their first major signing of the summer after Ajax gave Edson Alvarez permission to travel to London for a medical.
Sources have confirmed to 90min that an agreement has been reached in principle over a deal worth £34m, with the Mexico international one of West Ham's top targets to replace Declan Rice.
The Hammers have endured a frustrating transfer window so far, amid clashes between manager David Moyes and technical director Tim Steidten over targets, and have seen bids for Joao Palhinha, Conor Gallagher and James Ward-Prowse turned down.
Manchester United's Scott McTominay has also been on the radar, but Alvarez, alongside Monaco's Youssouf Fofana, is a player that Steidten has been pushing for West Ham to sign.
90min revealed on Sunday that talks were ongoing with Dutch giants Ajax over a fee for Alvarez, who has long indicated his desire to move to the Premier League, and sources have now confirmed that a broad agreement has been reached over a deal worth £34m.
Alvarez was close to joining Borussia Dortmund earlier this summer but a deal to move to the Bundesliga runners-up fell through at the 11th hour.
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26-year-old Alvarez has also been on the radar of Manchester United and Chelsea over the past 12 months, though both clubs have moved on to secure other targets and their interest has subsequently cooled.
West Ham hope that Alvarez, who is expected to sign a long-term contract barring any last minute complications, will be the first of up to half a dozen new signings at London Stadium.
The club are gearing up to compete in the Europa League after winning last season's Conference League, but haven't added to their squad yet and have seen captain Rice leave for Arsenal in a British-record £105m deal.
Another central midfield arrival is high up on West Ham's transfer agenda, while they would also like to sign a new central defender, left back and centre forward as a minimum - the need for the latter highlighted further by the club agreeing to send Gianluca Scamacca back to Italy just 12 months into a five-year deal.
Atalanta have agreed a fee with West Ham worth just over £26m, allowing the Premier League side to recoup the majority of the money they paid Sassuolo in July 2022.
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This article was originally published on 90min as Edson Alvarez: Ajax midfielder to undergo medical at West Ham.
