Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez has been considering a departure from the Etihad Stadium this summer, citing dissatisfaction with his playing time and the cold Manchester weather. Although the club would prefer to keep the 24-year-old, they are reportedly open to his departure if their £77 million valuation is met.
Alvarez’s Unhappy Being Left Out of Important Matches
Currently, with Argentina’s Under-23 team at the Olympic Games in Paris, Álvarez expressed his disappointment over being left out of key matches despite playing significant minutes last season. “Last season, I was one of the players with the most minutes on the team,” Álvarez said. “But it’s true; in the end, you don’t like being left out of important matches, you want to contribute.”
However, Álvarez also clarified that he hasn’t made any final decisions about his future, stating, “I haven’t stopped to think clearly about what I’m going to do. When this is over, I’ll take my time to think about what I want for myself. We’ll see what comes next.”
Pep’s Blunt Response
When asked about Álvarez’s comments during Man City’s pre-season tour in the US, Pep Guardiola responded bluntly, indicating his displeasure. “He said he’d think about it. When he finished thinking about it, his agent is going to call Txiki [Begiristain] and we’ll see what happens,” Guardiola remarked.
“I know he wants to play important moments, yeah. But the other ones [do] too. 18, 19 players as well want to play the big games. I read he wants to think about it. Okay, think about it and after that he will inform us what he wants to do.
“He plays a lot, he wants more? That’s fine. That’s why, think about it. When he thinks about it, he’ll inform us.”
“I Never Said Anything Wrong” – Alvarez
In an effort to de-escalate any potential issues, Julian Alvarez later provided an update, stating that he is happy at Manchester City but standing by his previous comments, which he described as simply an analysis of his past season.
“Yes, I heard (what Guardiola said). I don’t have much to say,” Álvarez said. “I never said anything wrong. I’ve always said that I’m very happy, very comfortable (at Manchester City).”
He continued, “It was just an analysis of last season, and a projection of what might come next. That was all. That’s what I meant when I talked about thinking about it, like I do every year, like we always do. So that’s all.”
here’s the subtitled video for you, in case someone wants to hate on him unnecessarily:) pic.twitter.com/QRqxKu6ooZ
— lina 🇦🇷 (@activelali) July 30, 2024
As of now, Alvarez’s future remains uncertain, with no clubs yet willing to meet Man City’s valuation. Clarity on his situation is expected after the conclusion of the Olympics when he rejoins the Manchester City squad.
