“Not one word” - Pep Guardiola remains coy on Manchester City’s potential capture of Argentine attacker
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola recently claimed he has no information about the club’s rumored deal for River Plate striker Julian Alvarez.
The 21-year-old Argentine is rumored to be on the verge of finalizing a £21 million transfer to Cityzens. Nicknamed “Spiderman” by his teammates, Alvarez was the top-scorer in the Argentine Primera Division last season. He finished with 24 goals and 15 assists in 46 overall appearances.
When asked about the striker, Guardiola remained coy on the rumored move and claimed he had no information. He said:
"I don't have any info from the club, anything. Not one word. I don't know anything. I don't have any info about the club."
Alvarez already has five appearances for Argentina and made his debut in June 2021. Multiple sources have claimed that the striker’s move to City is in its final stages with negotiations still ongoing on the final details. Whether Alvarez will become the only striker that Manchester City sign in the coming window remains to be seen.
#MCFC Pep Guardiola on Julián Álvarez deal for Man City: "I don't have any info from the club, anything. Not one word. I don't know anything. I don't have any info about the club". 🔵🇦🇷 #MCFC
Pep won't confirm until paperworks are signed - negotiations still ongoing on final details.
Manchester City’s search for long term striker set to finish with Julian Alvarez?
City have long been linked with a move for a long-term striker. Sergio Aguero moved to Barcelona in the summer and Guardiola famously wanted to sign Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane. But that didn't happen, leading to Cityzens being linked to Erling Haaland and Fiorentina’s Dusan Vlahovic.
Out of the two, Haaland is the obvious choice. The Norwegian striker has established himself as a generational talent in recent campaigns but a move for him remains unlikely. This is because of the plethora of European giants who have been linked with the striker.
Dusan Vlahovic dubbed a 'better player' than Manchester United and Man City target Erling Haaland #mcfc manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football…
Meanwhile, the likes of Juventus and Arsenal are considered the frontrunners for Vlahovic. The striker is rumored to be looking for a move in January which means that City might have to compete for Haaland in the summer.
There is no doubting the club’s financial capacity to outbid others. But much should depend upon the 21-year-old Alvarez’s impact at the Etihad in the coming time. Guardiola also has Gabriel Jesus as an option and a wealth of other attackers perfectly capable of scoring goals regularly.