West Ham have agreed a £32million fee with Ajax for midfielder Edson Alvarez.
David Moyes’s side are the only Premier League team yet to sign a player this summer, but will now hope to wrap up Alvarez’s signing over the next few days.
The deal is the first since West Ham pocketed £105m by selling Declan Rice to Arsenal. Ajax are expected to have a sell-on clause in the agreement.
Alvarez, a defensive midfielder, is expected to be a like-for-like replacement for Rice and will sign a five-year contract. The 25-year-old will now travel to London for a medical.
West Ham are this summer operating with a new-look transfer committee which includes Tim Steidten, the ex-Bayer Leverkusen executive brought in as technical director.
They remain interested in Manchester United duo Harry Maguire and Scott McTominay — and more signings are expected before the window shuts. A new bid for James Ward-Prowse is likely despite Southampton standing firm on their asking price.
Meanwhile, striker Gianluca Scamacca is closing in on a move to Atalanta. The Italian will return to Serie A in a deal worth an initial £22.5m plus £4.3m in add-ons.
