Chelsea are reportedly one of three clubs who are readying a move for a £68m-rated Manchester City star this summer.
Chelsea are reportedly one of three clubs who are readying a move for a £68m-rated Manchester City star this summer.
The West Londoners will soon begin a new era under head coach Enzo Maresca, who was appointed as Mauricio Pochettino‘s successor earlier this month and will officially start his job on July 1.
It remains to be seen as to how much say the 44-year-old will have on Chelsea’s summer transfer dealings, with the club’s having already completed their first signing in the form of Tosin Adarabioyo.
The 26-year-old centre-back has agreed a four-year-contract with the Blues and will join the club when his deal at Fulham expires at the end of this month.
Chelsea are also believed to be in the market for attacking reinforcements, with the addition of a new striker to provide competition for Nicolas Jackson thought to be a priority.
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Chelsea, Atletico, PSG all want Alvarez
According to Argentine news outlet TyC Sports, Chelsea will consider making an offer for Man City forward Julian Alvarez ‘in the coming days’.
The report adds that the opportunity to stay in the Premier League and play ‘more than an important role’ for Chelsea could appeal to Alvarez, although the Blues can only offer Europa Conference League football as they failed to qualify for the Champions League.
Two clubs who will compete in next season’s Champions League and also hold an interest in Alvarez are Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, with the former said to have made an enquiry to gauge the 24-year-old’s interest in a summer switch to Spain.
PSG, meanwhile, have identified Alvarez as a possible replacement for Kylian Mbappe, who has agreed to join Real Madrid when his contract at the Parc des Princes expires on June 30.
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Alvarez facing uncertain future at Man City?
After starring for boyhood club River Plate at the start of his career, Alvarez made the move to Man City in the summer of 2022 for just £14m and has since proved to be an invaluable first-team asset under Pep Guardiola.
Alvarez has scored 36 goals and provided 18 assists in 103 appearances for the Citizens across all competitions, contributing with 19 goals and 13 assists in 54 games last season, and he has already won six trophies with the club, including two Premier League titles.
However, Alvarez has predominantly had to play second fiddle to Erling Haaland, either watching on from the substitutes’ bench or playing behind the Norwegian striker in a deeper attacking role.
It has been claimed that the Argentina international is not happy with his current first-team role and wants to play more regularly as a central striker.
Alvarez is said to be valued at €80m (£68m), but Man City have no interest in selling the 2022 World Cup winner, who still has four years remaining on his contract at the Etihad Stadium.