Alvarez done deal - £82m to Atletico

[HelloCity]

Only with Jesus who understood the role. We tried,Foden, Grealish, Bernardo with varying degrees of success. Not sure we have the required player to play false 9 if Alvarez went. Doubt he goes anyway this summer.

Seem to remember we won the league title playing without a striker x2 and Jesus rarely started in the 9, especially 21/22.

 

[JewelZee]

Also, any such Alvarez replacement would have to accept being our 2nd choice striker. In other words, it's not happening. I reckon we would just play with a false 9 again if needed.

If Alvarez does really go would it have been a good idea to hang onto Delap as insurance. Would it have killed us to see what he could do as an understudy to Haaland? Just sayin'...

 

[Haaland94]

If Alvarez does really go would it have been a good idea to hang onto Delap as insurance. Would it have killed us to see what he could do as an understudy to Haaland? Just sayin'...

True. It's too late for it now, though :(.

 

[Silvatoure21]

Would be disappointed to lose him, but it was always going to be difficult to keep him happy as a backup to Haaland. The experiment with him playing deeper last season never really worked, and he's too good not to be starting regularly. Hope he doesn't go, but can see why Atletico would appeal to him and we would at least get a decent fee for him. Alvarez out, Olmo in wouldn't be the worst scenario in terms of squad options. Would still need a backup for Haaland though.

Love to see us use the false 9 when Haaland isn’t playing

 

[RayCTID]

thats your opinion but Julian has won a lot more

Foden has been proven to be more consistent than Alvarez in City's team.

 

[blueparrot]

True. It's too late for it now, though :(.

Not too late if Alvarez isn’t going anywhere.

 

[RayCTID]

If Alvarez does really go would it have been a good idea to hang onto Delap as insurance. Would it have killed us to see what he could do as an understudy to Haaland? Just sayin'...

It doesn't have to be Delap (you are baiting with that).

 

[citytill1die84]

Delap lol

 

[Ajm1985]

If Alvarez does really go would it have been a good idea to hang onto Delap as insurance. Would it have killed us to see what he could do as an understudy to Haaland? Just sayin'...

We have a buy back option

 

[il_Cecchino]

Good player. But non a champion. A bit overrated. For 80m you should take the money.

 

[xMatMcC]

Delap lol

Will be a great Premier League striker. Don't know what this comment is supposed to mean. Quite similar to a Joselu level backup at worst. Not everyone bursts onto the scene.

 

[Tricky_Trev]

Honestly, anything in the £70m-£80m range is a no-brainer sell for me.

Alvarez, we will all agree, is never going to displace Haaland, which is why he’s been tried deeper in an attempt to keep him happy. But he does not thrive there.

So big money for someone that will never play regularly in their best position and will only be used in positions they aren’t suited to? Automatic sell.

That money can be reinvested in a player that actually can thrive in either deeper or wider positions, whilst also covering Haaland when needed. And directly covering Haaland isn’t even a necessity. No reason we can’t play false 9 in those games with either the new signing or with someone else (Foden/Bernardo)

 

[RayCTID]

Good player. But non a champion. A bit overrated. For 80m you should take the money.

He is champion and in most sides he will be first choice. At City didn't quite nail a first team place even with Haaland out injured.

 

[il_Cecchino]

Swap for 40m + Omorodion (top potential).

 

[RayCTID]

Swap for 40m + Omorodion (top potential).

No swaps.

 

[Skrastins]

Swap for 40m + Omorodion (top potential).

Reminds me of Haaland

 

[skillman]

If we were offered £80m I'd snap their hands off. He's in limbo of not being good enough to be a lone striker but is a brilliant 'second striker' but we have Kev and Phil fighting for that who are both levels above what Alvarez can offer.

A shame because I thought he'd be Kun MKII but not to be it seems.

 

[WallyA]

I think there was an inevitably about this.

Both he and Haaland were the youngest and highest profile striker prospects, and we had both and only played 1 striker.

We tried Alvarez in midfield and it doesnt work, so he knows its him or Haaland as the main man.

Atletico has to give minimum 75m imo.

As for us, either go for another tall striker, who is older, and can accept being 2nd choice to Haaland, or go for a more flexible young attacker who can play across.

Maybe someone like Haller? 30, and tall, could accept a back up role.

Olmo is the obvious option for as an 8 LW or false 9.

Or it could be a way to give Foden, KdB, Bernie, Bobb or Grealish more minutes as a false 9. We will have 4 wingers for 2 spots, so perhaps this is a nice way to get them all more minutes?

 

[bell_mcfc]

Alvarez out wide with an overlapping full back would work in my opinion. That’s the way to get him in the team.

Would mean one of Bobb or Savio don’t get any minutes though as Grealish and Doku will as well. Also would mean getting Bernado and Foden minutes and both can play centrally but we see them wide as well.

Really we just have too many good players and if he wants to go then fair enough, that’s always been the way. But they have to pay up.

 

[It could have been 10]

Will be a great Premier League striker. Don't know what this comment is supposed to mean. Quite similar to a Joselu level backup at worst. Not everyone bursts onto the scene.

Like Micah did.