MANCHESTER-The striker for Manchester City, Julian Alvarez, has spoken out about the events that have caused continuous worry this summer and his future at Etihad Stadium.
Why is Julian Alvarez unhappy at Manchester city?
This summer, there have been several rumors that the former River Plate striker wants to leave the Etihad Stadium in order to establish himself as a first-choice striker at the highest level of European football. Alvarez found himself playing mostly in an attacking midfield role under Pep Guardiola, achieving his most prolific performance in front of goal even though he played the most minutes in a single campaign for Manchester City last season. But in the end, Erling Haaland was chosen to start at center for Manchester City when healthy, and Julian Alvarez’s playing time steadily decreased at the close of the campaign. The player has brought up this problem this week. Speaking from abroad at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris with the Argentina under-23 team, the Manchester City striker expressed his annoyance at having been “left out” of “important matches” by Pep Guardiola the previous season. Alvarez remarked, “I was among the players on the team with the most minutes last season.” Yet it’s true that you want to participate and you don’t like missing important matches. The 24-year-old has clarified, nevertheless, that he hasn’t given his Manchester City future any thought as of yet. He has been serving for Argentina on international duty since the end of the 2024–2025 club season, first at the Copa America and now in Paris.
What games has Alvarez been left out of?
As a prominent Manchester City striker looks to leave the Etihad, conversations are underway for him to transfer to Spain, according to Pep Guardiola. Last season, Guardiola guided the Citizens to their fourth consecutive championship, but he has challenges in keeping his team together. Only two players, Ederson and Kevin De Bruyne, have been linked to high-profile departures; Jack Grealish and Joao Cancelo are reportedly top targets for the club. According to earlier reports from ESPN, Manchester City would rather start the 2024–2025 season with the same team that won the title the year before. But a string of departures, culminating in the desire of a star striker to depart, may cause Guardiola to rethink his plans. Negotiations on Julian Alvarez’s departure for Atletico Madrid have reportedly started, according to a tweet made by Argentine writer Cesar Luis Merlo on X (previously Twitter). Currently, it’s unclear if the player and the La Liga team, or the two teams, are having these discussions. After just 18 months in Manchester, Alvarez has already had a significant influence. In his debut season, the 24-year-old not only won the World Cup but also the Treble. Despite earlier rumors that he would be utilized mostly as Haaland’s deputy, he actually played alongside the veteran.
What are Pep Guardiola’s plans for Alvarez?
According to fourfourtwo, Merlo, the trustworthy source who first revealed Ederson’s discussions with Saudi Arabia, says that Alvarez’s game time is a problem. Although the Argentine made more appearances for City last season than the previous one, he played a lesser part since Phil Foden was the team’s standout number ten. Diego Simeone, the Atletico manager, is obviously interested in adding a new attacker because he is losing Alvaro Morata. After Serie A lost out on Joshua Zirkzee to Manchester United, the captain of the team that won Euro 2024 has decided to transfer to Milan, starting a chain reaction of players migrating throughout Europe. As per sportsyahoo, From FourFourTwo’s perspective, this might be a very profitable venture for the City. Although Alvarez is a flexible player who can play behind Haaland or across the front line, he isn’t as good as Guardiola would want and may be readily upgraded. It appears that this action will also likely pick up speed. Simeone has a track record of bringing in the best Argentine players, and Alvarez fits the mold as a young, driven forward who can match the intensity Simeone demands. In recent years, Atletico has established the next generation by bringing in Rodrigo Riquelme, signing Arthur Vermeeren, and turning down offers for the gifted striker Samu Omorodion.
Could Alvarez’s frustration lead to a transfer?
The cost is the only problem. Alvarez reportedly cost £14 million when he joined City, and they will undoubtedly seek three times that much to let him leave. Transmarkt values Alvarez at €90 million. In 2028, his contract will end.
