Manchester City centre-forward Julian Alvarez looks set to depart for Atletico Madrid, with Pep Guardiola getting creative to replace him
Julian Alvarez looks bound for Atletico(Image credit: Getty Images)
Manchester City will be in the market for a replacement for Julian Alvarez after agreeing terms to sell the centre-forward to Atletico Madrid - but a new acquisition may not necessarily be a like-for-like replacement.
That's according to journalist and transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano, who says Manchester City will consider their options 'for sure', but that an out-and-out number nine is not necessarily on the agenda.
There is a bit of a dearth of outstanding young No.9s across England in particular but Europe more generally at the moment, as any number of clubs have found over the past few transfer windows.
VIDEO EA FC 25 Upgrades: slip passes, dribbling, pass accuracy, professional fouls
Manchester City could follow Arsenal lead after Julian Alvarez departure
What do City do when this guy isn't available? (Image credit: Getty Images)
With the prolific Erling Haaland up top and their previous failed pursuit of Harry Kane, City have been something of an oddity in prizing a genuine out-and-out striker in their preferred system.
But more and more clubs have instead relied on inverted wingers to get goals, including City's arch-rivals of recent years: Liverpool with Mohamed Salah and previously Sadio Mane, and now Arsenal with Bukayo Saka cutting in off the right... not to mention Cole Palmer, who City sold to Chelsea last year.
Not sure of goalscoring wingers and midfielders themselves, Romano has suggested that City may well lean more into that tack with the money they raise from selling Alvarez.
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has some thinking to do to replace Alvarez (Image credit: Getty Images)
Romano said: “Man City will now look at options to replace Alvarez, for sure. It could be a striker, but I would not be surprised if they end up considering also wingers and maybe playing with a false nine when Erling Haaland will not be available.
“Talks are taking place internally to decide on the next move, so we will have to wait and see the outcome of those discussions.”
Alvarez's move to Spain reportedly comes with a €95m (£81.4m) price tag attached, two and a half years on from City paying River Plate £14m, for his services.
Steven Chicken has been working as a football writer since 2009, taking in stints with Football365 and the Huddersfield Examiner. Steven still covers Huddersfield Town home and away for his own publication, WeAreTerriers.com. Steven is a two-time nominee for Regional Journalist of the Year at the prestigious British Sports Journalism Awards, making the shortlist in 2020 and 2023.
