"Why would you want to leave?" – Pundit claims Manchester City star won't leave despite interest from Bayern Munich
Former Aston Villa forward Gabriel Agbonlahor does not think Manchester City ace Julian Alvarez will leave the club to Bayern Munich this summer.
Alvarez, 23, has emerged as one of the most promising finishers in the world in the ongoing 2022-23 season. Since joining City from River Plate for around £14 million in 2022, he has proved to be the ideal backup for Erling Haaland.
A right-footed mobile attacker blessed with flair and shooting, the 20-cap Argentina international has been in fine form this campaign. He has scored 17 goals and laid out five assists so far, starting 22 out of his 48 appearances.
According to Bild, Alvarez has emerged as a top summer target for Bayern Munich due to his eye-catching form of late. He has been identified as an apt replacement for Robert Lewandowski, who left for Barcelona last summer.
During an interaction with Football Insider, Agbonlahor was asked if Alvarez could depart this summer. He replied:
"No, I don't think so. He's just signed a new contract so Manchester City won't even consider a bid now. He's still getting game time. If Haaland gets an injury, he's right in there to cover. He can play in other positions as well."
Claiming that the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner will be better off at Manchester City, Agbonlahor continued:
"Manchester City is a club who have just won their third Premier League title in a row. They could win the treble this season. Why would you want to leave? Bayern Munich aren't even playing the best football at the moment. Alvarez looks happy at City right now, and I'm sure that he will get more and more game time playing in front next season."
Alvarez, whose current contract is set to expire in June 2028, is currently valued at £44 million. He is likely to demand a larger transfer fee than his base value due to his contract situation and his importance in the City squad.
Mark Lawrenson offers prediction for Manchester City-Brentford clash
In his Paddy Power column, Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson has predicted a 2-0 win for Manchester City in their final Premier League clash of the season. Sharing his thoughts on their Sunday's trip to Brentford, he wrote:
"This is tricky for Manchester City because they've got their cup finals coming up. It's a case of what does the manager do? Often when you get to a final and there's a game in-between, you rest players and you lose your touch a bit. I think Pep Guardiola will play a weakened side. Brentford have done brilliantly but I'll go with City."
Pep Guardiola's side, who are on a staggering 25-match unbeaten streak, have an upper hand over the Bees. The Premier League champions have registered nine wins, one draw and six losses against their upcoming opponents.
While the Cityzens are on 89 points from 37 games, Brentford are currently on 56 points from 37 matches.
City have two finals left to play after this game - the FA Cup final against Manchester United on June 3 followed by the UEFA Champions League summit clash against Inter Milan on June 10.