Atletico Madrid has officially secured the signing of Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez for a fee of £81.5 million.
The deal, which spans six years, involves an initial payment of £64.4 million (75 million euros), with the potential for an additional £17.1 million (20 million euros) in performance-related add-ons.
This transfer marks a record sale for Manchester City, surpassing the £50 million they received from Chelsea for Raheem Sterling in 2022. Alvarez joined City from Argentine club River Plate for £14.1 million in January 2022.
In a heartfelt farewell, Alvarez expressed his gratitude for his time at City, where he won six major trophies over his two-year tenure. “Today, I say goodbye to this amazing club with a lot of emotion,” he stated. “These have been two very special years. During this time, I have grown and learned a lot—both as a player and as a person.”
Alvarez enjoyed a remarkable debut season, winning the treble, and he also played a pivotal role in Argentina’s triumph at the 2022 World Cup. During his time at Manchester City, he scored 36 goals in 106 appearances.
City’s director of football, Txiki Begiristain, praised Alvarez, stating, “It has been a pleasure to work with him. The trophies he has won already tell their own story—he is a winner. I look forward to watching him develop further in the remainder of his career.”
As the Premier League season approaches, Manchester City will kick off their campaign with a match against Chelsea on Sunday. Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid is set to face Villarreal on August 19 during the opening weekend of La Liga.
Un gran poder conlleva una gran responsabilidad. pic.twitter.com/Deydf9pthA
— Atlético de Madrid (@Atleti) August 13, 2024
