Atletico Madrid have confirmed the signing of striker Julian Alvarez from Manchester City.
The LaLiga side have paid a reported £81.5million for the Argentinian, who has signed a six-year deal.
It makes it a record sale for City, eclipsing the £50m they recieved from Chelsea for Raheem Sterling in 2022.
Alvarez, 24, has impressed despite playing second fiddle to Erling Haaland during his two years at City but has moved on in search of more regular first-team football.
“Today I say goodbye to this amazing club, with a lot of emotion,” he told the club’s site.
“These have been two very special years. During this time, I have grown and learnt a lot – both as a player and as a person.”
Alvarez won six major trophies during his two years at the Etihad, as well as the 2022 World Cup and 2024 Copa America with Argentina.
City director of football Txiki Begiristain said Alvarez has been “a pleasure to work with”.
“The trophies he has won already tell their own story – he is a winner,” added Begiristain.
“I look forward to watching him develop further in the remainder of his career.”
🕷️ Welcome, Araña! ❤️🤍 pic.twitter.com/a0G7MBh8iE
— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) August 12, 2024
Julian Alvarez stats
City signed Alvarez for 17 million euros (£14.1m) in January 2022 from Argentine side River Plate, where he remained on loan initially, making his Citizens debut in July 2022.
He produced 17 goals and five assists in 49 appearances for City in his first campaign. In his second, Alvarez scored 19 times and set up 13 goals.
Alvarez was almost ever-present for City in the league in 2023/24 until mid-February but started only two of their 10 Champions League matches, playing 33 minutes in total across the two legs against Madrid.
Having played only 17 minutes across their previous three Premier League games – scoring twice – Alvarez was an unused substitute when City clinched the title on the final day of the season against West Ham United.
The 2021 South American Footballer of the Year was not directly involved in any FA Cup goals after the third round of City’s campaign and played for 34 minutes in their surprise 2-1 defeat to Manchester United in the final.
City meet Manchester United in the Community Shield on Saturday (3pm). Their Premier League season starts at Chelsea on August 18 (4.30pm), with their first home game against Ipswich Town six days later (3pm).
