Savinho could profit from Alvarez departure

Julian Alvarez‘s status at Manchester City was going to be an issue from the moment he won the World Cup with Argentina in 2022.

Having arrived from River Plate as an unknown for a relatively minor fee earlier in the year, Alvarez had made 20 City appearances – but fewer than half of them were as a starter.

The reality was that he would never displace Erling Haaland as a number nine, so would either have to compete with the likes of Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Jeremy Doku, Bernardo Silva and others for a wide berth, or accept a role as back-up. And his enhanced status meant the latter option was not going to work long-term.

Atletico are a huge club, with Champions League aspirations and are an attractive alternative.

For City, it could mean a greater involvement for 20-year-old Brazilian Savinho than initially thought following his £30.8m arrival from Troyes. It could also nudge manager Pep Guardiola into reinforcing a squad that is looking to win the title for an unprecedented fifth successive season.