MANCHESTER-Julian Alvarez, a striker for Manchester City, has agreed to join Atletico Madrid for a reported £81.5 million. The initial payment of £64.4 million (75 million euros) and any future add-ons of £17.1 million (20 million euros) comprise the charge.
What makes Alvarez a key signing for atletico?
It would be a selling record for City, exceeding the £50 million Chelsea spent in 2022 on Raheem Sterling. Alvarez declared that he would make his choice on his future until after Argentina’s football participation in the 2024 Olympics concluded. Last Friday, the hosts, France, eliminated the squad. The 24-year-old’s manager, Pep Guardiola, had shown a desire to hold onto him, saying earlier in August that he “counted” on Alvarez before the season began. “I count on him, but he said in the news that decisions will be made all together,” Guardiola stated. However, City will not obstruct a player who wishes to go, as has been the case with Ilkay Gundogan, Riyad Mahrez, and Aymeric Laporte in the past. Atletico has not yet agreed on personal terms with Alvarez, despite having already agreed to acquire Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher. The Argentine, who left River Plate in 2022 to sign a £14.1 million contract with City, has made 106 appearances for Guardiola’s team and scored 36 goals. Midway through Argentina’s 2022 World Cup campaign in Qatar, the striker Alvarez earned the Triple Crown in his first season at the Etihad.
How will Alvarez fit into Atletico’s squad?
Alvarez’s situation at Manchester City was always going to be problematic, even before his Argentina team won the 2022 World Cup. Less than half of Alvarez’s 20 City appearances came as a starter. Earlier in the season, Alvarez had joined River Plate as an unknown for a very cheap cost. He would never be able to replace Erling Haaland at number nine, thus he would have to settle for a backup role or fight for a wide berth against players like Bernardo Silva, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, and Jeremy Doku. Furthermore, the latter alternative was not going to be sustainable given his elevated standing. Atletico is a formidable team with hopes of qualifying for the Champions League, making them a desirable substitute. With his £30.8 million transfer from Troyes, 20-year-old Brazilian sensation Savinho may play a bigger role for City than first anticipated. Additionally, it may encourage manager Guardiola to bolster a team that hopes to win the Premier League for a record fifth straight year.
Why did Man City agree to sell Alvarez?
According to theguardian, In a record-breaking agreement, Manchester City and Atletico Madrid have agreed to sell forward Julián Álvarez for up to €95 million (£81.5 million). As the Spanish team attempts to reach a personal agreement with the Argentinian, the Premier League winners are expected to receive an initial payment of €75 million, which may increase depending on a number of circumstances. Despite making 54 appearances and scoring 19 goals for City in the previous season, the World Cup champion was viewed as Erling Haaland’s backup and seldom started in his favored No 9 spot when the Norwegian was healthy. This has made the player hungry to become a more important member of the team. Given that Atletico and Chelsea have agreed on a £33 million price for midfielder Conor Gallagher, the next few days might be quite busy for them. Álvarez would join Atletico as the second striker this transfer window after Alexander Sørloth was acquired by the team from Villarreal. Additionally, they signed Real Sociedad defender Robin Le Normand. As per bbc, After paying £14 million to join City from River Plate in 2022, the 24-year-old Álvarez is expected to turn a profit for the team. Since then, he has triumphed in every major international football championship, including the World Cup, Copa América, Champions League, and Premier League.
What does this transfer mean for Atletico’s Tactics?
Ferran Torres’ £55 million transfer from City to Barcelona set the previous record sale, and Pep Guardiola has stated that they will want to recruit new players whenever someone departs. Given how many minutes Álvarez played the previous season, it is probable that City will make an entry; their lone senior acquisition for this summer is Troyes’ Savinho, a forward. After a hectic summer that saw him win the Copa América and advance Argentina to the Olympic quarterfinals, where they were defeated by France, Álvarez is taking a break.
