Finally, the time has come for Julian Alvarez to fly the coop. The Argentinian forward is set to break up with Manchester City and join Atletico Madrid. It was just in January 2022 when he penned for Etihad until 2028 as now he gears up for a new domestic chapter of his career. In fact, former MLS star Alejandro Moreno believes Alvarez won’t be ‘the only one working’ for the La Liga side just as he does for Lionel Messi at Argentina.

“It’s time for him [Alvarez] to go and search for something else, something different, and as successful as he has been for Manchester City, the truth of the matter is that he wasn’t going to play consistently,” said Ale, in the latest segment of ESPN FC. The pundit acknowledged Alvarez’s achievement both for club and country, making him a remarkable talent and the 24-year-old would have been second fiddle to Erling Haaland.

While insisting that it’s the right time for Alvarez to leave City, Moreno added, “In Atletico Madrid, he’s going to find a team where he isn’t going to be the only one working like he does for Lionel Messi with the Argentina national team. It’s a team that is going to be made of workers as well and some of that work will be done for him so that he finds himself in a position to score goals more consistently than he did at Manchester City.”

Notably, the Argentinian striker is set to join Atletico Madrid for a reported fee of £82m ($104 million). The deal will be made official in the coming days. As Alvarez prepares for a new chapter, he leaves a gap at the Etihad that the Cityzens need to address. Fortunately, Pep Guardiola has a clear idea of where to invest.

Pep Guardiola already has a replacement for Julian Alvarez

According to the latest reports, Manchester City identifies Wolverhampton winger Pedro Neto as the ideal replacement for Julian Alvarez. Pep Guardiola is eager to bring the Portuguese forward to Etihad whose contract expires with the Old Gold in 2027 and is valued somewhere near €55m ($60m). While it’s likely that Wolves will demand a significant fee, this is the least of the concerns for City.

Neto has long been a target for Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta eager to add a winger to his squad this summer. As City and Arsenal vie for the 24-year-old’s signature, Neto’s recent remarks indicate that he may not be ready to part ways with Wolves. “I love this club, I’m really happy to be here and take this team to another level,” he said.

While Arsenal looks adamant about breaking the bank for Neto, City too will take advantage of their financial muscle. Regardless it remains to be seen which club prevails in the signature of Pedro Neto. As for Julian Alvarez, we wish him the best of luck for his new journey with Atletico Madrid.