MANCHESTER CITY are on the verge of signing Argentina superstar Julian Alvarez from River Plate.
The Premier League giants will pay around £20million for the talented forward, 21, beating a host of Europe’s top clubs for his signature.
Rated as the best player to come out of South America since Neymar, Alvarez could have already been plying his trade in LaLiga.
As a youngster Alvarez trialled with Real Madrid aged 11. However, rules permitted Los Blancos from adding him to their academy.
Instead, he rose through the ranks in his homeland at River, won the Copa Libertadores, and was last season’s top scorer in the Argentine Primera Division.
It’s not wonder he has been called the heir apparent to City legend Sergio Aguero, who recently retired.
And he even fancies himself as a singer – recently joining his favourite band Los Caligaris on stage at a show in Buenos Aires.
Early praise
From a young age, growing up in the northern town of Calchin in the Argentinian province of Cordoba, Alvarez appeared to have a natural ability.
He started out at his local club Atletico Calchin, before he embarked on a journey to find a professional club.
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After a trial with Boca Juniors, River’s fierce rivals, he went to Spain with Real Madrid keen on him.
Back in 2011, he played in a youth tournament for them and scored twice. They were keen to keep tabs on him, but signing Alvarez would prove impossible.
Also, with the issue of his family being settled in Argentina, Alvarez didn’t want to be separated from his bloodline.
“I was playing children’s championships at Real Madrid, I was 11 years old but only at 13 Real Madrid could sign me definitively at the club,” he told Argentinian newspaper Clarin.
“To do it at that time, my whole family had to move and we had to settle there. I went back to Cordoba.”
River calling
In 2016, Alvarez joined River Plate and played in the now defunct Generation Adidas Cup – a tournament that serves as a springboard for the stars of tomorrow.
Spearheading their attack, it was no surprise River won the competition that year and in 2017.
Already, there were glowing reports about the teenager being fed to first team coach Marcelo Gallardo.
In 2018, he was handed his debut coming on as a substitute for the final half an hour in a 1-0 Primera Division win against Aldosivi.
Just a few months later, he came off the bench against Boca Juniors in the Copa Libertadores final.
Not only did he win plaudits, he also got his hands on his first piece of silverware as River saw off Boca 5-3 on aggregate.
But it wasn’t until 2019 that Alvarez could celebrate his first goal in the famous red and white shirt – scoring in the 3-0 win over Independiente. A star was born.
Gallardo made him a star
Under the enigmatic Argentinian coach Gallardo, who draws comparisons to Pep Guardiola in South America for his coaching methods, Alvarez’s game has improved ten fold.
In 2020, he became a goalscoring machine – scoring five goals in six Copa Libertadores group stage games.
It was form that saw Alvarez force his way into the manager’s eleven as a main striker or playing on the flanks.
But, his 14 goal contributions in all competitions came with a warning. Could he repeat his success? Or would he prove to be a one-season wonder.
He didn’t just repeat it, he bettered it.
Elevating his game to new heights, he was the Primera Division’s top scorer with a lethal 18 strikes in just 21 games last campaign.
River Plate landed the title thanks to Alvarez’s goals and were indebted to the youngster.
He was also handed the South American Footballer of the Year Award, joining the likes of Pele, Diego Maradona and Neymar.
His star has risen to the point where pop bands now want him as part of their act.
Over the weekend, he joined popular group Los Caligaris at a concert at the Tecnopolis music venue.
Watching them from the side of the stage, he was soon handed a microphone to help sing along to their hit Razon.
At the Qatar World Cup 2022 in December, Alvarez is also expected to take centre stage and showcase his talents to a wider audience – having already helped his country win the 2021 Copa America.
Should he excel, he will have City fans licking their lips in anticipation for his arrival.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
