Manchester City’s pre-season preparations might not have gone as per plan until now with losses to Celtic, AC Milan and Barcelona but they have returned to winning ways with the 4-2 win against Chelsea. Led by an inspired Erling Haaland, the Manchester club gave their London counterparts no chance.
Pep Guardiola has often cut a frustrated figure in pre-season games so far and he will know that his team needs to step up their game ahead of the Community Shield final against Man United. However, he will also know that he is playing without many first-teamers who would immensely improve the quality of the team.
One first-teamer who is currently not with the squad is Argentinian World Cup and Copa America winner Julian Alvarez. He was most recently on international duty at the Olympics in which his nation lost to France in the quarterfinals. However, the bigger question in the narrative is whether the 24-year-old will be in the City squad at all next season!
Alvarez has made his desire clear to be a more prominent member of the team. Despite playing many minutes last season, the ex-River Plate forward wasn’t happy with the lack of minutes in important games. This is a situation that needs tending to and Pep Guardiola has a task on his hands.
What does Pep think about Julian Alvarez’s future?
Speaking about Julian Alvarez’s future, Pep reassured Man City fans that he was absolutely counting on the 24-year-old for the new season but warned that a decision would be made after communication with the player: “He’s absolutely our player. He will come back. I count on him,” Guardiola said. “But he said in the news and decisions will be made all together. Now has to rest and when he feels ready to come back he will come back. I’m sure when he comes back I’ll hug and congratulate for the Copa America, for the Olympics, and we will start to work together. This is the reality.”
Being Alvarez is difficult at Man City. At 24, he has already won it all at both club and country levels. However, the presence of Erling Haaland means that it’s almost impossible for the Argentinian striker to get a starting role in important games in his favoured position. Pep is not someone known to play with two strikers.
That said, the silver lining is Alvarez’s versatility. Capable of playing on both wings as well as in the #10 role, surely Pep can find a way to accommodate the talented forward in his starting lineups. More importantly, the onus is also on the player to come up with performances that make him undroppable in the manager’s eyes.
The next few weeks will be crucial in determining Alvarez’s future. Man City fans will hope he stays but interest in the talented forward is plenty and the player is likely to make the decision he feels is the best for his career. As always, Pep is unlikely to stand in his way if an exit is coming.
