Manchester City look like they may have to fend off interest from Bayern Munich to keep Julian Alvarez at the club this summer, according to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg.
Is Julian Alvarez leaving Manchester City?
The striker only moved to the Etihad Stadium during the last summer transfer window but has already made quite the impression at the Premier League side. The forward hasn't been a first-team regular, but when called upon by Pep Guardiola, he has often produced the goods in front of goal.
Indeed, from just 12 starts in the league, the player has managed nine goals ahead of their midweek clash with Brighton & Hove Albion. With just under 15 matches' worth of game time, it means he has an average of 0.60 goals per 90.
The attacker has shown previously that he can deal with limited appearances and still produce the goods. Before the 23-year-old moved to England, he plied his trade with River Plate in Argentina for example and had just 17 starts in 2021. However, he still managed to get on the scoresheet 18 times, along with six assists. That led to a superb average of 1.36 goals or assists per 90.
Continuing to impress despite being more of a second-string option with City, it has now led to interest from elsewhere, according to Plettenberg. The Sky Sports journalist reports that Bayern have now put Alvarez on their wanted list and that the side have already "inquired" about the player in terms of whether he will be available for transfer.
He wrote: "Yes, he’s on the list of #FCBayern confirmed! He’s another option next to Kolo Muani. Bayern has inquired about him as he’s not a regular starter behind #Haaland. His future at #MCFC is uncertain despite of his contract until 2028."
Are Bayern Munich signing Julian Alvarez?
If the forward was tempted into a move away, it would almost certainly be a blow to City's squad.
Despite a limited number of minutes in the Premier League, the player has produced a WhoScored rating of 6.73 and has already bagged himself two Man of the Match awards – showing he can shine above the rest on occasion.
He's even impressed for Argentina, having notched an outstanding four goals in five games during the World Cup. He averages 1.4 shots per game in the league for City, showing his ability to find space and get himself chances, which is on par with most of his club teammates.
Considering his talent and potential, to lose him already would surely be a bad move for City. However, the prospect of more football with Bayern would surely appeal to Alvarez, who is left to dislodge Erling Haaland from the starting lineup.