Manchester City has had rumors circulating all offseason regarding many of their top stars leaving despite having another successful campaign last season. That campaign featured the Citizens lifting their fourth straight Premier League title and deep runs in both the Champions League and FA Cup.
However, with all the rumors, things were fairly quiet until Tuesday morning, when Manchester City decided to sell a 24-year-old forward to Atletico Madrid for a nine-figure fee.
Julián Álvarez is heading to Atletico Madrid
According to Fabrizio Romano, Julián Álvarez has been sold to Atletico Madrid for £78.7 million ($104 million) for the Argentina striker. Around £64 million ($81.2 million) will be due up front, with another £17m ($21.5 million) in performance-based add-ons.
The departure fee is a record for the blue and white and a significant profit on the £14 million ($17.7 million) they paid for Álvarez when he arrived from River Plate during the January transfer window in 2022.
Álvarez was under contract until 2028 with Pep Guardiola’s squad and had previously rejected a contract extension that would have improved the terms of the current agreement in exchange for another year of club control.
Despite frequently coming off the bench, the Argentinian native played a vital role in the Citizens’ success last season, scoring 19 goals and registering 13 assists across 53 appearances.
However, with Erling Haaland secured as the club’s star forward, the 2022 World Cup champion was said to be looking for more consistent playing time and the ability to be the primary option, which is something Atletico Madrid will provide.
What does this mean for Manchester City?
After what was anticipated to be a relatively quiet offseason for the four-time defending Premier League champions, Manchester City now has made one of the most significant moves of the summer and will have to work quickly to see if they need to find an understudy for Haaland.
The blue and white brought in Savinho earlier this summer, but he seems more of a winger. Time will tell what Manchester City does, but another significant move before league play in a few weeks is not out of the question.