Manchester City will be determined to let the players in their squad leave who are keen on an exit from the Etihad Stadium.
Pep Guardiola is a manager who demands a lot from his players.
With that being the case, any player whose focus is solely not on City becomes a liability as it becomes increasingly likely for them to pine for a move elsewhere.
Manchester City will enter the 2024/2025 season with the motivation to win as much silverware as possible; a desire that must come from the collective.
However, the absence of that drive from a key player could destabilise the atmosphere in the dressing room.
For a Manchester City side who are expected to win trophies across multiple fronts, the presence of such a player could deter them in achieving their goals.
On Monday, it was reported by journalist David Ornstein that Atletico Madrid are closing in on signing Julian Alvarez for £70 million — a player who has continually been linked with an exit this summer.
Alvarez’s exit from City was described as “increasingly feasible” by journalist Gaston Edul as well, with Diego Simeone’s side and Paris Saint-Germain stressed as his most interested suitors.
A fresh update has surfaced surrounding the £14 million man’s potential move to the Spanish giants now.
- Who is Julian Alvarez? The story of the striker who won it all at Man City before joining Atletico Madrid
Fabrizio Romano says Atletico Madrid CEO is involved in Julian Alvarez deal now
Fabrizio Romano has reported that Atletico Madrid CEO Gil Martin is “in direct contact” with Manchester City CEO Ferran Soriano to finalise a deal involving Alvarez.
Romano added that the side from the Spanish capital have already made an “official bid” for the Argentine, which is “already on the table.”
The Italian journalist also claimed that there will be also be talks with the Copa America winner’s camp over his contract if his move to Atletico Madrid ended up becoming official.
Man City should be open to Julian Alvarez sale at this point
Ultimately, as Manchester City have displayed since Pep Guardiola’s arrival in 2016, if a player, such as Alvarez is seemingly discontent, it is best to let them depart the club.
Guardiola has a small squad in terms of numbers at his disposal and the competition for places in forward areas is fierce.
If Alvarez found it “annoying” not to feature in several key games last season, his frustration will likely only increase due to Kevin De Bruyne potentially taking up several of his desired minutes at City as he has looked fit and in-form for several months now.
As a result, it would be best for all parties involved if a move was finalised sooner rather than later.
It will be interesting to see whether there are any twists and turns in the negotiations but as things stand, Alvarez seems nailed-on to work with Diego Simeone next season.
