Pep Guardiola was banking on Julian Alvarez sticking around at Manchester City. But the reigning English champions were forced to engineer a deal, reportedly with more than $100 million for Alvarez with Spanish giants, Atletico Madrid. Guardiola has now come to terms with the fact that he won’t have the Argentine to depend on when Erling Haaland is unavailable. The Spanish coach sent an emotional message to the 2022 World champion before he joined Atleti. Nevertheless, the ace coach is clueless about why Alvarez opted out of the Etihad. 

Alvarez, notably, won the European treble in his first season with Guardiola’s City and is now leaving with a Premier League title in his cabinet. The Spanish coach added, “But if he wants to leave, a new challenge — Atletico is a top club — then if you want to leave it’s OK. We wish him the best. I learned a lot from him, hopefully he can find what he was looking for,” the coach added.

The coach’s response wasn’t fully sweet after all. There’s a bitter part as well. “I don’t know the reason why, he said to me he wants a new challenge, he feels it’s what he needs to do. Last season he played a lot, at some moments with Erling, but I understand in certain moments he didn’t play,” Guardiola added.

As he continued, the Spanish boss observed that there was no point in trying to persuade Julian Alvarez to stay if he was unhappy at the Etihad. “If you are not happy why should you be here? He believes his period here must be over so OK, both clubs arrived at an agreement and that’s all,” the coach said.

So, now, let’s see why Alvarez opted out of the English club, despite having a contract till 2028.

Less play time under Pep Guardiola prompted Alvarez to rethink his City deal

Julian Alvarez, for the large part of his City stint, had to play second fiddle to Erling Haaland. Guardiola mostly depends on Alvarez when Haaland is out injured. The Spanish coach summons the Argentine as a substitute as well. The veteran coach, also notably snubbed Alvarez in the FA Cup final against Manchester United and started Haaland. Alvarez, a world champion, knows he need not be the secondary to a fellow superstar, and hence decided to say farewell to Etihad.

Alvarez is now awaiting his medical examinations with Atletico Madrid. Upon completion of his move, City could reportedly earn north of $100 million. The Abu Dhabi-backed club bought Alvarez for $17.8 million in 2022. It remains to be seen how much the Cityzens would miss Alvarez. But it is indeed big business for the Sky Blues.