Transfer Talk: City crown Argentine Alvarez as Aguero heir

Manchester City have leaped into action to sign Julian Alvarez from River Plate before the transfer window slams shut.

The hotshot will stay with River on loan until the summer, when he will then make a permanent move to the Etihad.

But who is the young Argentine and why have the reigning Premier League champions snapped him up?

With the starlet in contention to represent his country in Tuesday's World Cup qualifier against Colombia, we take a look at what the attacking phenom could bring to Pep Guardiola’s side.

No No9

Guardiola will already be well aware of the 22-year-old's many talents.

The Catalan coach has been in pursuit of a star striker to replace Sergio Aguero for many months and in Alvarez, he may have found the next great Argentine marksman.

Gabriel Jesus may wear the No9 shirt but the Brazilian does not operate in that position because Guardiola does not set his side up with a traditional centre-forward.

City have fared just fine without one this season and for most of last term, when they claimed their fifth Premier League title.

The Citizens scored a league-high 83 goals and their 55 already this season are second only to Liverpool (58).

But Guardiola is a tactical chameleon who has evolved his approach throughout his managerial career. It may well be that he wants to play with more of a true No9 — and Alvarez could undoubtedly be that player.

A torrent of River goals

The 2021 Primera Division season saw River crowned champions of Argentina for the 37th time.

And Alvarez was the star of the show, finishing as the league’s top scorer with 18 goals in 21 appearances.

He found the net once every 88 minutes, representing a remarkable return for a player who had previously been playing as a winger — and barely troubled the scoring charts prior to last season.

Alvarez really announced himself in October, becoming the first man to bag a brace in the Superclasico against Boca Juniors since former Argentina frontman Gonzalo Higuain 15 years earlier.

Putting it on a Plate

Alvarez’s history as a wide player naturally implies a degree of creativity — and he demonstrated that in abundance last term.

He ranked joint-sixth in the Primera Division with six assists, as well as seventh for chances created (45).

That — in addition to his voracious appetite for goals — should endear the 2021 Copa America winner to Guardiola, whose sides typically have creative players in a multitude of positions.

Eight City players have set up at least two already this season and the equivalent figure stands at 11 or more in each of their three title-winning campaigns under the master tactician.

The next Aguero?

Club legend Aguero moved to Barcelona last summer after a decade in Manchester before sadly having to retire in December due to a heart condition.

Can Alvarez go on to become City’s latest South American icon?

The Argentine ace will not be lacking motivation. He is known to look up to his compatriot, who certainly lived up to the hype after leaving Independiente for Atletico Madrid aged just 17.

A manager’s dream

River boss Marcelo Gallardo has lavished praise upon his prodigious prospect.

Speaking in October 2018 as Alvarez was handed the club's No9 shirt, he said: "He is a player who every manager would like to coach."

And more recently, Gallardo has described him as "a player that coaches love for his quality, for his generosity, and for his playfulness."

With such exemplary reports from his performances in training and on the pitch, Alvarez should fit in perfectly at the Etihad.