Edson Alvarez ‘more than happy’ at West Ham after ‘very bad’ first few days

Edson Alvarez has shared his delight at signing for West Ham but admitted his first few days at the club were “very bad” as he had to adapt to the intensity of training with no pre-season preparations.

The Mexican midfielder looked set for a move to German outfit Borussia Dortmund at one stage, but after that deal fell through he moved to the London Stadium in a £35.4million deal and shared his belief that everything happens for a reason.

Alvarez had little time to get up to speed with the rigours of English football before making his debut off the bench against Chelsea on 20 August but feels he is now getting to grips with the demands.

Speaking to the official Mexican National Team YouTube channel, Alvarez revealed: “There was a little bit on the Dortmund side that was a fairly specific option, and, in the end, it couldn’t be, but well, there was a lot of rapprochements on their part, including visits to Amsterdam to meet my family.

“I have always been of the idea that things happen for a reason, that everything is perfect and good. Now I am more than happy about the step I took to join West Ham, which is a team that in one month has shown me a lot of things.

“When you reach the best league in the world, the truth is that it is something inexplicable. When we closed it, I flew to Amsterdam and from there I flew to London, but I didn’t have any training, so, imagine arriving directly at the intensity of the first days.

“I had a very bad time in the sense of rhythm, but as the training went on it has gone very well for me and it has adapted to me quite well.

“In any case, I know that I still have a lot to improve because it is a league that pushes you to the limit not only mentally but physically.”

Filling the void left by Declan Rice

Alvarez has been able to slot in seamlessly at the base of David Moyes’ midfield, playing his role as a destroyer to break up play and distribute the ball to his teammates – the likes of James Ward-Prowse and Lucas Paqueta – who have been allowed to thrive.

His role is arguably the most important of the trio, as he gives his teammates the opportunity to be more forward-thinking and expressive in their play, looking to create chances for the forwards while the burden of defensive pressure lies with him.

West Ham will be thanking their lucky stars that his move to Borussia Dortmund did fall through, and resting on his belief that everything happens for a reason. The reason, in this case, was so that he could help the Hammers achieve their goals for the season.