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Edson Álvarez, according to several reports, has indicated he is happy to remain at West Ham yet our sources have suggested that may not be the case. When we asked a well placed source whether the Mexican international was staying, the response was a firm, “No”. While another source suggested that being allocated a squad number didn’t necessarily mean the player was staying: It was believed that departure of Freddie Potts was due to Álvarez committing to a season in the Championship. Despite previous injury concerns, Nuno wants Álvarez to stay and sees the player as central to his plans. Nicknamed “El Machin” – being tough and resilient perfectly mirrors the player who would hopefully give West Ham structure. If Álvarez stays, Nuno has the anchor he needs. Another major upside is that Álvarez can also deputise at centre‑back, giving Nuno valuable flexibility. The same applies to Magassa, who is equally comfortable dropping into the back line, meaning West Ham suddenly have far greater cover in two key positions. There are obvious reasons as to why Álvarez could stay, even at a reduced salary of £50k a week, the financial step was too steep for interested clubs such as FC Köln, Ajax and Real Sociedad. That reality could refocus his mind on the job ahead in East London. However there is still interest in the player from a number of clubs, and the player wants top flight football, yet none have been able to match West Ham’s valuation. Last season’s injury nightmare seems to be behind him. With two years left on his contract, Álvarez also has a major financial incentive: should the Hammers secure promotion, his wages would return to the previous £100k per week bracket. While it’s disappointing to see Potts move on, the emergence of academy talents like Kanté and Orford means West Ham still have depth coming through. In my opinion should West Ham retain Álvarez this would be a smart decision, providing the player remains injury free, and stays away from those red cards!