FC Köln to prioritise Edson Alvarez deal – Ellyes Skhiri will have to wait for his return to the club | OneFootball

FC Köln will prioritise the transfer of Edson Álvarez, with Ellyes Skhiri waiting to make his return to the club, reports Florian Plettenburg. 

The Cathedral Club have agreed a move in principle with the West Ham United defender, with the player also keen on the move. However, one possible issue for the club could be Álvarez’s salary. 

For Köln, signing Álvarez would be a major coup. Their pursuit of the Mexican could be aided by Tim Steidten, the club’s squad planner, who worked for West Ham and was responsible for bringing Álvarez to England in 2023. 

However, the Bundesliga aren’t going to give up on the Mexican and will do everything they can to get the deal over the line. 

For Eintracht Frankfurt’s Ellyes Skhiri, this means he will have to play the waiting game. The former Köln player is keen to move back, with Frankfurt happy to sell him for between €1.5m-€2m. In terms of a deal for Skhiri, salary wouldn’t be an issue, unlike Álvarez. 

It’s already been a busy summer for Cologne, who are undergoing a rebuild following the departure of Lukas Kwasniok in March 2026. They’ve already secured a move for Nürnberg’s Luka Lochoshvili and have signed Jahmai Simpson-Pusey and Tom Krauß on a permanent basis.  

GGFN | Jamie Allen