Atletico Madrid Secure £81.5m Deal for Manchester City Forward Julian Alvarez

Atletico Madrid have agreed to a record-breaking £81.5 million deal to sign Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez. The transfer fee comprises an initial £64.4 million (75 million euros) and an additional £17.1 million (20 million euros) in potential add-ons. This surpasses the previous record sale for City, set by Raheem Sterling's £50 million move to Chelsea in 2022.

Alvarez, 24, has stated he will wait until Argentina's involvement in the 2024 Olympics football ended before finalizing his decision. With Argentina knocked out by hosts France last Friday, the path is now clear for the forward to contemplate his future.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola had expressed his desire to retain Alvarez, emphasizing earlier in August that he "counted" on the forward for the upcoming season. "I count on him, but he said in the news that decisions will be made all together," Guardiola remarked. Despite this, City has maintained a policy of not obstructing players who wish to depart, as evidenced by the past exits of Ilkay Gundogan, Riyad Mahrez, and Aymeric Laporte.

Atletico Madrid, who have also secured a deal for Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, are yet to finalize personal terms with Alvarez. The Argentine striker, who joined City in 2022 from River Plate for £14.1 million, has scored 36 goals in 106 appearances for Guardiola's side. His tenure at City included a remarkable Treble in his first season and he also played a key role in Argentina's 2022 World Cup triumph in Qatar.

The acquisition of Alvarez represents a significant move for Atletico Madrid as they bolster their attacking options. For City, the transfer marks another substantial profit in the transfer market, highlighting their ability to develop and sell top talent. The football world will now watch closely as Alvarez's transition to La Liga unfolds, and as Atletico aim to capitalize on their new star signing.