Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez continues to pursue a move away from the club this summer. According to The Athletic, the Argentine wishes to play for a club that can offer him more game time while also being situated in a city with a warmer climate than Manchester. The 24-year-old and his family are unhappy with the weather in England and would prefer moving somewhere warmer.
The Current Situation
Alvarez faces stiff competition for a starting spot at City, with Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne fit and in form. With both stars available, Alvarez’s chances of getting significant game time are slim. Furthermore, having represented Argentina in both the Copa America and the Olympics, he has had a heavy workload this summer. Manager Pep Guardiola is likely to rest him to avoid any injuries.
The Argentine has attracted interest from Europe’s elite clubs like Paris Saint Germain, Chelsea and Atletico Madrid. Despite the Atletico president Enrique Cerezo commenting, “Julián Álvarez is a Manchester City player and I believe he won’t be moving from there.”, the Diego Simeone led club remain his main suitors. However, his asking price is a huge stumbling block for Atletico, with City demanding £60 million upfront with a further £17 million in addons.
Alvarez joined Manchester City in January 2022 from River Plate for a reported fee of £14 million, remaining on loan at the Argentine club until July 2022. In his two seasons at City, Alvarez has started 44 Premier League games, scoring 20 goals. He received more playing time last season due to Kevin De Bruyne’s injury, starting 31 games.
The 24-year-old has demonstrated versatility and technical skills, performing well across the front line and even filling in as an attacking midfielder in De Bruyne’s absence. Alvarez impressed in this role, contributing not only with goals but also creatively to the team.
Likely Departure
Despite his contributions, it seems likely that Alvarez will leave the Etihad Stadium either this season or in the near future. With Haaland as the main striker, Alvarez is seen more as a rotation option rather than a regular starter. Even with De Bruyne’s potential departure next season, Guardiola is expected to seek a midfielder with more creativity and passing abilities than Alvarez currently offers.
Julian Alvarez’s desire for more game time and a move to a warmer climate, coupled with the stiff competition at Manchester City, makes his departure seem imminent. The situation will depend on whether any interested club can meet City’s valuation and offer Alvarez the playing time and environment he desires.
