Man City Julian Alvarez joins Atletico Madrid

The £81.5 million signing of Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez has been completed by Atletico Madrid, with the Argentine forward committing to a six-year contract.

An initial payment of £64.4 million (€75 million) will be made by the Spanish side, managed by Diego Simeone, with an additional £17.1 million (€20 million) potentially being paid through performance-related add-ons.

Alvarez’s transfer has set a new record for Manchester City, surpassing the previous record sale of £50 million received from Chelsea for Raheem Sterling in 2022. In January 2022, the young striker had been signed by City from Argentine club River Plate for a fee of £14.1 million.

A statement expressing deep emotion and gratitude towards Manchester City was issued by Alvarez as he bid farewell to the club where he enjoyed a highly successful two-year stint. It was mentioned by him that the club would “always have a special place” in his heart.

The time spent at City, during which six major trophies were won, was described as both a period of significant personal and professional growth.

During his debut season, a historic treble was achieved by Alvarez with City, including a Premier League title, an FA Cup, and the UEFA Champions League.

Additionally, the 2022 FIFA World Cup was won by him with Argentina in the midst of the season. By the time of his departure, 36 goals had been scored by Alvarez in 106 appearances for the club.

The striker was praised by Manchester City’s director of football, Txiki Begiristain, who commented on the pleasure it had been to work with him.

It was highlighted by Begiristain that the trophies already won by Alvarez “tell their own story,” emphasizing the winning mentality he possesses. Further development in Alvarez’s career is anticipated by Begiristain, who expressed eagerness to observe his progress.

The new Premier League season for Manchester City is set to commence with an away match against Chelsea on Sunday. Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid’s La Liga campaign will begin with an away fixture against Villarreal on 19 August.