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How Manchester City Plans To Replace Julian Alvarez
Manchester City will not necessarily dip into the transfer market to replace Julian Alvarez, opting instead to promote from within to fill the position of the Argentine, who is set to join Atletico Madrid.
Alvarez is poised for an £81.5 million transfer just two years after joining from River Plate.
During his time at the club, he has played a vital role in City’s success, contributing 54 goals and assists in 103 appearances.
He performed in multiple positions and was the first point of cover for both Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne, both of whom missed games through injury in 2023/24.
But Sportxparte understands that, rather than quickly going out and spending their windfall on a direct replacement, City’s priority is to assess their internal options and reward existing players with more game time.
Academy graduate, James McAtee, has already been touted for a role by Pep Guardiola, having given a glowing review of the 21-year-old attacking midfielder, who can operate as a false nine, last month.
Manchester City Academy graduate, James McAtee
“I would love to keep him next season with us, because he’s a special guy to play in small spaces, in the pockets, and we don’t have many,” the manager said. “He’s a player I have a high, high opinion of, and I would like if he can insert properly with the team.”
McAtee spent the last two seasons on loan with Sheffield United across the Championship and Premier League, gaining invaluable first-team experience in 75 appearances.
New signing, Savinho is another potential option to fill the gap left by Alvarez’s departure, alongside Oscar Bobb. Although Bobb is attracting interest from Chelsea, City has no intention of selling him. Unlike last summer’s situation with Cole Palmer, the 21-year-old Norwegian recognizes there may be increased opportunities for playing time.
City didn’t ideally want to lose Alvarez, although the £81.5m fee for someone who wanted to leave is ultimately good business because it is almost six times the £14m they originally paid in 2022.
There had been rumors of a possible swap deal with Atletico Madrid involving Joao Felix, who was on loan at Barcelona last season. However, no discussions regarding such a deal took place. Instead, the incoming funds could be reinvested in acquiring a midfielder.
Bruno Guimaraes of Newcastle United, a fan favorite at St James’ Park and a key figure in the club’s transformation from relegation battles to European contention, remains on City’s radar.
