With the 2023/24 Premier League campaign seeing such a focus on Profit and Sustainability Rules, plenty of fans in the wider world of football are still casting a curious eye at some clubs in the English top flight division given their own spending behaviour in more recent years.
So, with the news earlier today that Manchester City had now agreed a whopping £81.5 million deal with Spanish La Liga side Atletico Madrid for attacker Julian Alvarez, some will naturally question whether this deal has been driven by issues bubbling along in the background – as the fee does represent City’s record ever sale for a player, surpassing the £50 million deal struck with Chelsea for fellow attacker Raheem Sterling back in 2022.
The actual deal for the 24 year old, 36 capped Argentine double Copa America winner, and World Cup star, sees Atleti pay an initial £64.4 million, with £17.1 million in add ons, but it was well known that serial winning manager Pep Guardiola did not actually want to lose the player for the season that lies ahead.
Alvarez for his part, has stated that he would not make a decision on his future until Argentina’s involvement in the 2024 Olympics football tournament had come to a close – and they were knocked out by the hosts France last Friday, so presumably there has been an indication, if not a full agreement yet.
City will state that the deal shows that they will again not stand in the way of a player who wishes to move on, such as Ilkay Gundogan, Riyad Mahrez and Aymeric Laporte, and although personal terms are obviously yet to be agreed, having signed him in 2022 for £14.1 million from River Plate – this sale represents significant profit for the Etihad Stadium outfit.
They will naturally focus on that, but ignoring other potential talking points, given his more speedy international successes with his country, many would argue his future had long been in doubt. In lifting the World Cup, he was still a relative unknown at the club and fewer than half of his appearances (20 at the point) had been starts, and although he has had a good record since in many ways, his enhanced status just did not make him suitable for what would largely be a more back up role in Pep’s system.
A move to a club like Atletico with their own domestic and European ambitions would be attractive to him, as he seeks to better establish himself, and maybe shine more than he ever could at a club like City.
The lad clearly has talent, and if he does move on, it remains to be seen if City will regret their decision.