Man City slap huge asking price on Julian Alvarez after Argentina star asks to leave Pep Guardiola's side

According to The Athletic, the forward remains keen to get more playing time and relocate to a warmer climate. However, he might find himself hindered by City's valuation which is reportedly around £60m ($77m), with an additional £17 million ($22m) in potential add-ons. Atletico Madrid, who have shown considerable interest in the player, disagree with City's demands and might pull out of any potential deal if further negotiations fail to convince the Premier League champions to lower their asking price.

Alvarez has flown to Paris to participate in the Summer Olympics with Argentina after plying his trade in the Copa America, which will further deter Pep Guardiola from handing him a starting role, at least in the initial phase of the 2024-25 campaign. He hasn't had a substantial break in three years owing to club and international commitments, making his situation even more complex.

In recent years, City have demonstrated a willingness to allow players to leave if they desire, a policy highlighted by the transfers of Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko to Arsenal. However, they have also shown resistance when it comes to key players, whom they will struggle to replace at short notice, creating challenges for potential suitors. Last summer, they blocked the sales of Kyle Walker and Bernardo Silva, demonstrating their selective approach to player transfers.

City's financial prudence while dealing with key assets has come to the forefront once again. They are likely to be rigid with their valuation of Alvarez, who has already reportedly rejected a four-year extension offer, which could force the player to continue at Etihad as a backup to goal-machine Erling Haaland, at least for another year.