Manchester City will kick off their 2024/25 season on Sunday by taking on Chelsea in the Premier League.
Manchester City will be going after a fifth consecutive title this time around, and fans know that it could well be Pep Guardiola’s last term in charge.
The manager’s contract is up at the end of the season, and a decision is expected from him at some point during the season.
City have had a fairly quiet summer in the transfer market, with only Savinho coming in so far. But there have been a handful of outgoings, with Julian Alvarez the most high-profile.
Alvarez has joined Atletico Madrid in an £82 million deal and while most people believe this was a good sale by City, former Premier League striker Glenn Murray has questioned the decision by City.
Glenn Murray suggests why Man City selling Julian Alvarez is questionable
Alvarez had just two years at City in the end.
He made 103 appearances for the club, scoring 36 goals and making 18 assists in 103 appearances.
These were some good numbers for a player who wasn’t necessarily a regular starter.
The good thing about Alvarez was his versatility. When Erling Haaland couldn’t play, he made a great replacement for the Norwegian as a striker. He could also operate in those advanced midfield positions.
But Alvarez has gone now, and for Murray, this decision to offload Alvarez is slightly questionable.
He told BBC Sport: “I felt like Alvarez was reliable and picked up a lot of slack for Erling Haaland when he wasn’t playing well or scoring.
“He gave City added firepower and, without him, I am thinking who is going to do that job? In previous seasons, before Haaland joined, Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez stepped up but it is asking a lot for Bernardo Silva and Jeremy Doku to provide those extra goals.”
Pundit Robbie Mustoe has also expressed his concerns for City over their sale of Alvarez, feeling the squad is now weaker.
Alvarez doesn’t have to be missed by City
- Who is Julian Alvarez? The story of the striker who won it all at Man City before joining Atletico Madrid
It does not have to be the case that City will miss Alvarez this season.
He was a good source of goals and assists, but City will only feel his absence if they do not replace him. Especially with Oscar Bobb also now picking up an injury, which has left many fans gutted.
City could do with signing another forward, but it’s tricky. It has to be someone who will be comfortable playing second fiddle to the likes of Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden, but it has to be someone who obviously has quality.
We will see what the club are able to do, with just a few weeks left in the transfer window.
