Manchester United are plotting a surprise bid for former Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez, according to reports in Spain.
The Argentinian international only left the Etihad last August, snubbing the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea to join Atletico Madrid in a deal worth up to £82m.
However, Spanish publication OK Diario claim that the Red Devils are “willing to put £120m on the table” for Alvarez this summer.
Most Read on ManUNews.com
Such an offer is unlikely to be accepted, though, with Atletico happy to keep hold of the player, while Alvarez himself has no interest in leaving Madrid at the moment.
United don’t have the funds to finance such a move
Speaking in his pre-match press conference before the game against Tottenham, head coach Ruben Amorim made it clear that the Red Devils would have to “sell” players in order to finance new signings.
That means tabling £120m for Alvarez is a rather fanciful notion, unless they manage to offload the likes of Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Hojlund and Marcus Rashford on a permanent basis.
Alvarez’s form wouldn’t warrant a club record fee
Another factor that would count against United making such an enormous bid is the former City forward’s form. He hasn’t exactly been prolific for Atletico in the league since his arrival in Spain.
Alvarez has looked impressive in the Champions League, scoring 6 times in 8 games, but his goal return of 7 goals in 23 La Liga appearances isn’t anything to write home about.
If United were to spend £120m on a striker in the future, you would think they’d be targeting someone they know can find the back of the net on a regular basis. Reports suggest that a move for Victor Osimhen is still possible, although there is also believed to be interest in Ipswich’s Liam Delap and (to a lesser extent) Viktor Gyokeres.
Find out who is in Manchester United’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here