Julian Alvarez has almost everything at the age of 24, except a starting position at Manchester City. The Argentine striker's trophy collection includes: World Cup, Copa America, Champions League, Copa Libertadores, FIFA Club World Cup, European Super Cup and Premier League... More worth mentioning, many of these titles That, Alvarez raised more than once.
Alvarez stayed at Etihad for 2 seasons and this was also the time when The Citizens reaped countless titles. However, after all that success, the 24-year-old player had to sadly move to Atletico Madrid for 82 million pounds. Of course, this is definitely a bargain for Man City. Previously, they only spent 14 million pounds to recruit Alvarez from River Plate.
Alvarez's time at Man City was a mixture of sweet and bitter. The 24-year-old could be the main striker for any big team in Europe but at Man City, he is only second choice behind Erling Haaland. Pep Guardiola almost only lets Alvarez start in unimportant matches or Haaland is injured.
However, last season Alvarez still accumulated 54 appearances in all competitions, largely due to Haaland being injured for nearly 2 months. With 19 goals and 13 assists, Guardiola cannot help but be satisfied with the 2022 World Cup champion. In particular, during the time Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne were sidelined, Alvarez played an extremely important role for The Citizens.
Alvarez is ready to take on any role that Guardiola assigns: from "number 9" to "number 10" or even the attacking midfielder position. The 24-year-old player showed resourcefulness and willingness to do anything, including becoming the main free kick kicker for Man City when De Bruyne was injured.
Besides, Alvarez is also a very durable player. In the two years since his debut at the Etihad, he has made a total of 130 appearances, 103 for Man City and 27 for Argentina. Alvarez's abundant energy is also an important factor in Argentina's journey to winning the 2022 World Cup.
However, the fact that Alvarez has to leave Man City will bring with it a question: how good is the 24-year-old striker?
When he moves to Atletico Madrid, Alvarez will certainly participate in the biggest matches, but it is very unlikely that the Champions League final. Therefore, this will be a big bet between both Alvarez and the home team at Metropolitano Stadium.
In a summer where Real Madrid recruited Kylian Mbappe, Atletico Madrid also brought in Alvarez. Alvarez's salary is a bit lower than Mbappe's, but in terms of price, the Argentine striker is the biggest deal in the summer of 2024 so far.
This will create pressure on Alvarez, who is only a luxury reserve player. The 2022 World Cup champion must now prove that he is one of the best strikers in the world.
Alvarez can add many more titles to his collection if he stays at Man City. However, with Phil Foden's preference for operating in the center, Alvarez does not have many opportunities in the "number 10" position. But, even if many of Alvarez's goals were assisted by Man City's stars, finding a substitute player who is always healthy and effective enough is still a feat for £14 million.
In short, Man City now has 82 million pounds to comfortably recruit another high-class striker. As for Alvarez, a new horizon is opening up at the Metropolitano...
