Man City in talks over sale of World Cup-winner Julian Alvarez

The forward saw regular minutes but is still second choice behind Erling Haaland

(Getty Images)

Manchester City are in talks with Atletico Madrid about selling Julian Alvarez to the Spanish club.

The World Cup winner said last week that he would consider his future after being benched for some of the biggest games of City’s season.

And he has emerged as a target for Atletico as manager Diego Simeone, a fellow Argentinian, looks to strengthen his attack after the departures of Alvaro Morata and Memphis Depay. Simeone has already bought one striker, in Alexander Sorloth.

Alvarez, a £14m bargain when he joined from River Plate, has made 103 appearances in two years at City, scoring 36 goals, including 19 in the 2023-24 campaign.

He started 31 Premier League matches last season, making 54 appearances in total and playing for almost 3,500 minutes, but did not start either of the Champions League quarter-final games against Real Madrid or the FA Cup final.

“Last season, I was one of the players with the most minutes at City,” he said after Argentina lost their Olympic quarter-final to France. “But you don’t like being left out of important matches, you want to contribute,” Alvarez said. “I’ll take my time to think about what I want for myself. We will see after the Games. First, if I can, I will take a few days off. Then we will decide.”

City tend to allow players to leave if they want to, if their valuation is met and if they have time to sign a replacement but manager Pep Guardiola said after Saturday’s 4-2 win over Chelsea that he expected Alvarez back at the Etihad Stadium.

"He's absolutely our player,” he stated. “He will come back. I count on him. But he said in the news and decisions will be made all together. Now has to rest and when he feels ready to come back he will come back.”

Alvarez has won six trophies in his time at City while also helping Argentina to the World Cup in 2022 and the Copa America this summer.