It does not look any good: Top City officials begs player not to leave club
Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez celebrates scoring his side’s third goal with Rico Lewis and Erling Haland during the UEFA Champions League match …
Don Hutchison has urged one player not to leave Manchester City amid increased speculation about his future.
Manchester City are now just a couple of weeks away from the new season, with the Community Shield serving as the curtain-raiser this Saturday.
City take on Manchester United at Wembley and there will be a desire for revenge after the FA Cup final defeat back in May.
Pep Guardiola has not had a number of key players in pre-season, as they recover from their exploits at international tournaments. But that has allowed the manager to cast his eye over some of the youngsters – the likes of Oscar Bobb, James McAtee and Nico O’Reilly have all impressed.
One player who has not yet returned – and some are starting to wonder if he ever will – is Julian Alvarez, who is wanted by a number of other clubs.
He is thought to want out after lacking minutes in the second half of last season. But pundit Don Hutchison thinks this would be the wrong decision.
Don Hutchison says Julian Alvarez should stay at Manchester City
Julian Alvarez of Argentina gestures during the CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 Final match between Argentina and Colombia at Hard Rock Stadium on July …
Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
Alvarez made the most appearances of any City player last season.
But in terms of minutes played, there were a handful ahead of him. That is because his opportunities dried up a little in the second half of 2023/24, after Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland had returned from their injuries.
Alvarez is reportedly wanted by a host of clubs at the moment, including Atletico Madrid, Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain. Juventus have also just been linked.
City are thought to want around £70 million plus add-ons to sell.
It is a big asking price designed to put suitors off, with City well aware that Alvarez would need replacing at a late stage in the window.
For Hutchison, Alvarez should rethink any plans to leave. He said in a video for ESPN FC: “If I am Alvarez, what are my options? I am not leaving Manchester City to go to Atletico Madrid. Not, for them, no.
“If you are going to Real Madrid and you are going there, you are going to sit on the bench. So I am going to say stay at Man City.”
Alvarez knows he’d start regularly for other clubs
This is a questionable verdict because there are plenty of clubs out there that Alvarez would be a regular starter for and he knows that.
The £100,000-a-week man has proven himself at City in the two years he has been at the club, and posted some respectable numbers despite playing second fiddle to Erling Haaland.
The star – dubbed ‘extraordinary’ by Pep earlier this year – makes things happen in the final third and also works his socks off, so it is little wonder there are several clubs sniffing around.
It remains to be seen if any club will get near that asking price City have set. Hopefully, the club will already have a couple of targets in mind just in case he does leave.
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