Chelsea will have to fork out in excess of £40 million to sign Manchester City attacking sensation Julian Alvarez this summer.
According to a report from Football Insider, Julian Alvarez could part ways with Manchester City before the end of the transfer window amidst interest in his services from Chelsea. The player seems keen on a move away from Pep Guardiola’s team, and they are willing to sanction his departure as long as their asking price of over £40 million is met.
Alvarez came up the ranks at River Plate before joining Manchester City in the winter of 2022. He continued with his childhood club for six months on a short loan before moving to his new club permanently. Since joining the Premier League giants, he has been involved in 103 matches and has contributed towards 54 goals (36 goals, 18 assists).
Julian Alvarez wants to leave Manchester City
While the Argentine international prefers playing as a number nine, the majority of his appearances have come in other roles because of the presence of Erling Haaland. Recent reports have suggested that Alvarez could be on the move this summer.
Manchester City’s manager Pep Guardiola has publicly admitted that the World Cup winner could be on his way out before the end of the transfer window. The player is all set to decide his future once he returns to the club after the Olympics. While there is no clarity over why he is looking to leave, it is believed to be because of a personal issue and his preference is to leave the Premier League champions.
Manchester City’s price and Chelsea’s interest
Manchester City do not tend to stand in the way of players who no longer want to play for them and in his situation, they are willing to sanction his departure for a fee of over £40 million. While there is significant interest in him from Chelsea, they will have to meet City’s demands for things to progress.
With four years still left on Alvarez’s contract, Manchester City will have the upper hand in negotiations. But, the price tag does seem to be a bargain for someone with his qualities. The Blues have been on the lookout for a new number nine throughout the summer. But they have not been able to sign one yet.
Chelsea need someone who can sort out their goal-scoring problems and given what Alvarez has done at Manchester City in his limited opportunities, he can surely be the leader of the attack at Chelsea. But, it will be interesting to see if the Blues are willing to meet City’s demands for the 24-year-old striker.
