Atletico Madrid are set to table a formal bid for Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez, according to Mundo Deportivo.
Also citing claims in the Argentinian media, the Catalan publication says that Atletico are expected to propose a loan with an “obligation to buy” at the end of the season for €70m (£59m).
On the face of it, that doesn’t look like a particularly attractive offer, and you would expect the Cityzens will turn it down.
However, if the reporting is accurate, and Atletico make an approach, it would suggest that the La Liga club have gotten the approval of Alvarez.
It’s very rare these days for a team to make a formal proposal without knowing first that the player is interested in joining them. There are, of course, exceptions. Liverpool’s bid for Moises Caicedo last summer was one of those.
In general, though, there is no smoke without fire in these situations, and the fact that Alvarez is said to be unhappy at the Etihad will add further fuel to the speculation.
Atletico are not the only club interested in the City forward
The likes of Chelsea, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain have also been mentioned as potential suitors. PSG, in particular, are said to have directly contacted Alvarez’s agents but their interest in Napoli’s Victor Osimhen may see them leave the race for the Argentinian international.
At the moment, it does appear as if Atletico are the ones pushing ahead with a move, but we shall see if others do formalise their interest once the first bid is lodged.
Why is Alvarez unhappy?
Some fans have been left perplexed as to why the 24-year-old has become unsettled. After all, the striker started 39 matches in all competitions last season.
It seems Alvarez’s core issue is his lack of starts in big games. He was a substitute in both legs of the Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid, and he played just 14 minutes in the last four Premier League fixtures.
