Manchester City forward Julian Álvarez could leave the club amid interest from Real Madrid, according to a recent report from Spanish sports media outlet Sport.es.
City signed Álvarez from River Plate back in January 2022 for a fee of £14.1 million – since then, he has made 35 appearances in the Premier League, scoring 11 goals.
While Madrid’s interest is merely a rumour at this point, Alvarez’s departure could destabilise the Citizens’ squad if it is not properly handled.
Who could replace Julian Alvarez in the squad?
Currently, while Alvarez is far from the first name on Pep Guardiola’s team sheet, he still has a valuable role to pay within the squad. Not only is he adept at almost every attacking position, he is also an excellent backup option for Erling Haaland.
Besides Haaland and Alvarez, City have no other strikers in their senior team. Due to this, if they wish to sell Alvarez, they will need to look for a replacement in their U21 squad if they are not intent on delving into the transfer market.
Potentially, the likes of Tai Sodje, Will Dickson and Justin Oboavwodou would all be in contention to take Alvarez’s spot in the squad if the Citizens opt to exercise this option.
Should Manchester City sell Julian Alvarez?
While a big-money offer from Madrid will certainly appear tempting, City should not accept any bids put in for Alvarez unless there is a contingency plan to replace the Argentine.
Haaland’s history with injuries is well-documented – as such, it is imperative that the Citizens have someone who can fill in for him if he is not available for selection.
If the Sky Blues choose to sell Álvarez, not only will they lose cover in both the wide and central attacking positions, they will also be left with little strength in depth in the striker role.
Of course, Alvarez is never going to be a regular starter up top while Haaland is around, but there is always the option to give him a game – he has proven on multiple occasions that he is a reliable player to field and can be counted on to provide goal contributions.