Julian Alvarez bids farewell to Guardiola? Manchester City star ‘on track’ for move to Real Madrid

Julian Alvarez is reportedly closing in on a Manchester City departure and a move to Real Madrid after a war of words ensued between the Argentine forward and Pep Guardiola this week. The 24-year-old appears to want more game time and to feel more valued at the Etihad, a stance that perplexed his manager given the amount of game time he was afforded last season.

Football 365 cite reports from Spain that claim Madrid are the club most interested in signing Alvarez who is representing Argentina at the Olympic Games in Paris. He’s working to seal a transfer to the Santiago Bernabeu and is said to have grown frustrated with life at Manchester City. He started 40 of 54 games across competitions last season, registering 19 goals and 13 assists.

Alvarez spoke about his future while at the Olympics and suggested he’d decide once he wrapped up his participation with Argentina in Paris:

“I am focused here [at the Olympics] because it is a short tournament. At Manchester City I feel very good, I played a lot of minutes. But we will see after the Games. First, if I can, I will take a few days off. Then we will decide.”

Those comments were met with a frosty response from Guardiola who seemingly took fault with his attacker for needing to think things over:

“Once he has finished thinking, his agent will call Txiki [Begiristain] and we will see what happens. I know he wants to play important moments, yeah. ‘But the other ones [do] too. 18, 19 players as well want to play the big games. I read he wants to think about it. Okay, think about it.”

Real Madrid have already bolstered their attack this summer with the capture of arguably the best frontman in Europe, Kylian Mbappe. He joins a scintillating attack consisting of Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, Jude Bellingham and Brahim Diaz. A move for Alvarez may confuse some but they do need to replace Joselu who left for Qatari outfit Al Ghafara earlier this summer.

It’s claimed Alvarez is set to wave goodbye to Guardiola and Manchester City, where he’s spent two years since arriving from Argenint side River Plate for €21.4 million. There has also been suggestions Chelsea and Arsenal are keeping tabs on his situation but it appears Los Blancos are in pole position to sign the wantaway forward.

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti was impressed by Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez’s 2022 FIFA World Cup

Julian Alvarez was one of Argentina’s standout performers at the 2022 FIFA World Cup as Lionel Scaloni’s men reigned supreme in Qatar. He posted four goals and one assist and starred alongside Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernandez. The tournament led to many asking why Alvarez hadn’t been enjoying a more prominent run in Manchester City’s first team.

Carlo Ancelotti kept a close eye on Alvarez during the World Cup and he spoke highly of the City star’s contributions to La Abiceleste at the time. The Real Madrid boss said (via Mundo Albiceleste):

“The Argentinians are back after their setback against Saudi Arabia and Messi is playing at his highest level. The youngsters Álvarez and Fernández are also giving energy and enthusiasm to the team.”

Madrid know all about Alvarez’s talents as they’ve come up against the 36-cap Argentina international in the UEFA Champions League. He’s faced Los Blancos on three occasions and scored a goal in the Cityzens’ 4-0 (5-1 aggregate) blitz of Ancelotti’s men in the semifinals of the 2022-23 edition of Europe’s elite club competition.