Real Madrid will reportedly compete with Barcelona in the race to sign Julian Alvarez from treble-winners Manchester City.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Julian Alvarez is the subject of interest from Real Madrid. The 23-year-old versatile striker is also a target for La Liga champions Barcelona. But the World Cup and treble winner will unlikely leave Manchester City anytime soon after signing a new contract with the Premier League champions.
Julian Alvarez has been going from strength to strength in the last few years. The Argentine striker did not capture many eyeballs during his youth career. But he has seen his stock skyrocket since guiding River Plate to the league title in the 2021 season. That was when high-profile clubs started noticing his talent, with Manchester City winning the race to sign him.
The Premier League heavyweights shelled out only €23 million to secure Alvarez’s services 18 months ago. And the 23-year-old has already paid off the investment after making crucial contributions in the last 12 months. Meanwhile, the player was also a pivotal part of Argentina’s triumphant campaign at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Alvarez has started the 2023/24 season well, racking up six goals and five assists in 13 outings while reprising the “second striker” role. The youngster’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several other bigwigs. These include Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Barcelona’s interest in the treble winner stems from Robert Lewandowski’s advancing years. While Vitor Roque will bolster the Barcelona attack next year, he might not hit the ground running. In addition, Xavi Hernandez prefers two options for every position, making the Argentine striker a viable target.
As for Real Madrid, Los Blancos did not replace Karim Benzema when he departed from the Santiago Bernabeu this past summer to join Al-Ittihad. While Kylian Mbappe is their top target, he might sign a new contract with Paris Saint-Germain. So, it behoves Real Madrid to have a contingency plan, with Alvarez emerging as an option.
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While Barcelona and Real Madrid are getting ready to lock horns for Alvarez’s signature, it is worth noting that Manchester City will unlikely listen to offers for the 23-year-old. The youngster is a pivotal figure for the treble winners and remains content at the Etihad.
