By Wayne Veysey

21st Jan, 2022 | 4:13pm

Sources: Chelsea, Leicester City and Crystal Palace line up offers for Ajax star Alvarez

Chelsea, Leicester City and Crystal Palace are lining up offers for Ajax star Edson Alvarez, Football Insider understands.

The defensive midfielder, 24, who can also play at centre-back, has established himself as one of the Dutch giant’s top players since arriving from CF America in 2019.

A recruitment source has told Football Insider that Chelsea, Leicester and Palace have all been making regular checks on Alvarez this season.

The Mexico international has been a standout performer for Ajax in the Dutch Eredivisie and the Champions League this season and is regarded as one of the best holding midfielders in Europe.

Ajax are keen to keep hold of Alvarez but know they face a battle to fend off the growing interest in him this month.

They are braced for offers from the Premier League trio.

He is under contract at the Dutch giants until the summer of 2025 and has two goals and an assist in 22 games across all competitions this term.

Chelsea may need to dip into the transfer market to add defensive reinforcements with Andreas Christiansen, Antonio Rudiger and Cesar Azpilicueta all out of contract this summer.

The club confirmed earlier this month (3 January) Thiago Silva had agreed a contract extension until the end of next season.

Palace may need to sign a replacement for Conor Gallagher in the summer as he is due to return to his parent club Chelsea at the end of the season.

Leicester bolstered their midfield ranks with the arrival of Boubakary Soumaré last summer (2021) but he has failed to make a big impact on Brendan Rodgers’ side.

In other news, a Chelsea loanee who has returned to Cobham could miss ‘six weeks’ after an update in the last 24 hours.