How and Why Manchester City signed Julian Alvarez
January 31st is, and always will be, regarded as an important date in the football calendar.
And whilst this year’s edition of the Winter Transfer Deadline Day was rather glum for some, it was much more exciting for others.
None more so than the 22-year-old Argentinian Forward; Julian Alvarez - who signed for Manchester City on his 22nd Birthday.
Alvarez had a number of suitors from some of the continent’s finest clubs.
So how and why did Manchester City sign Julian Alvarez on Transfer Deadline Day?
How Manchester City signed Alvarez
Last summer, Julian Alvarez was being tracked by a number of top sides, with Aston Villa and Bayer Leverkusen making their interest known.
Though the young forward opted to stay-put at River Plate, as he awaited an offer from a club who played Champions League football.
Suddenly, the list of teams who could appeal to Alvarez sensationally decreased.
And that’s where Manchester City come in.
Why Manchester City signed Alvarez
The answer is simple.
He’s young, talented and versatile throughout the forward positions.
And even at his young age, he understands what it takes to win silverware - having won 6 trophies in his time at River Plate so far, with one of those the prestigious Copa Libertadores.
Alvarez enjoyed a stellar 2020/2021 campaign in which he notched up 27 goal-contributions in 21 games for River Plate in the Argentine Primera Division.
Of those 27 goal-contributions, 18 were goals and 9 were assists.
None of his goals were from the penalty spot and he achieved these numbers in just 21 league games.
Having just turned 22, his potential is clear, and Ferran Torres’ recent departure to Barcelona is bound to have had an influence in this decision.
The biggest influence though is the fact that 17 goals and 7 assists were achieved when Alvarez was deployed as a centre-forward.
Add in the fact that Manchester City paid just £14m for his services and the move makes even more sense from a Manchester City perspective.
This means that Julian Alvarez cost £1m more than Dan Burn, £2m pounds more than Wout Weghorst and £11m less than Chris Wood!
Very efficient business by The Citizens.
A Win-Win Situation
With Alvarez now on-loan at River Plate for this next season, it means that he has more time to develop his game at a club he’s comfortable with, before he returns to Manchester City next season.
It also means that River Plate do not have to worry about replacing him immediately, and can ponder on their decision.
As for Manchester City, their striker-crisis is over.
They now have a young, prolific striker on their books who will be ready to make an impact, come next season.
The Next Aguero?
For some City fans, this is a move that will fill an even bigger void.
Work it out for yourself;
He’s Argentinian.
He’s primarily a centre-forward.
He’s a prolific goal scorer.
By the time he makes his Manchester City debut, he will be around 23-years-old. (The same age that Manchester City’s All-Time Top Scorer was when he arrived).
Does that ring any bells?
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