Manchester City refused to allow Julian Alvarez to leave for Brighton on loan as part of the deal to sign Marc Cucurella, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Cucurella was a key target for the Premier League champions, with manager Pep Guardiola keen to strengthen his options on the left-hand side of defence.

However, Romano claims that Guardiola refused to sanction Alvarez’s loan, leading to talks with Brighton to collapse. Cucurella subsequently sealed a £62m move to Chelsea instead.

The decision to keep Alvarez at the Etihad may well turn out to be a very smart decision. The Argentinian international has looked lively when given opportunities by Guardiola, scoring twice on his full debut in the 6-0 win over Nottingham Forest last month.

In terms of signing an alternative for Cucurella, the Citizens opted for a much cheaper option in Anderlecht’s Sergio Gomez. The Spaniard played his first 90 minutes against Sevilla midweek.