Leicester target transfer for versatile Ajax star

With Leicester City in a desperate search for a new centre-back, Edson Alvarez has become the latest defender to be linked with the east Midlands side.

The Mexican centre-back who can also be deployed as a defensive midfielder, has been performing brilliantly for Ajax. And Football insider reports that LCFC are interested. The 24-year-old moved to the Eredivisie side from Club America in 2019 and has proven himself as a quality defender with the versatility to operate just as efficiently in the midfield as well.

Alvarez is strong aerially which would be a major boost for a side that struggles to win a header from any set-piece. He also is strong on the ball, another area that Foxes defenders have been dwindling in.

With Jonny Evans and Wesley Fofana out, Leicester have a looked a shadow of their former self passing out from the back, with numerous stray balls given away in their own defensive half. The Tottenham Hotspur game was the latest example of this when Harry Kane pounced on a loose pass to score the North London side’s opening goal of the encounter.

At just 24-years-old, Alvarez has plenty of years ahead of him and could well become an elite defensive midfielder in the future with the ability to slot into the backline at anytime. If Leicester City were to pursue their interest in the Mexico international, they would face fierce competition from their Premier League rivals. Both Chelsea and Crystal Palace are reportedly interested in the Ajax defender.

Leicester have been in desperate need for a new defender with Evans out with a long-term injury, meanwhile Fofana is still recovering from his injury in preseason. Leaving just Caglar Soyuncu and Jannik Vestergaard as the only two specialist centre-backs.

This has meant that the likes of Hamza Choudhury, Wilfred Ndidi and Daniel Amartey have all had to fill in at the back this season. This has led to Amartey asserting himself as arguably the Foxes best centre-back, since Soyuncu and Vestergaard have both struggled this campaign.

While it looks increasingly unlikely that Leicester will make any transfers in this window, with Brendan Rodgers commenting on the lack of money to spend at this point in time. Alvarez is a player that the Foxes should be pursuing with keen interest.