Chelsea have been linked with a blockbuster move for Julian Alvarez in the January transfer windowplaceholder image
Chelsea have been linked with a blockbuster move for Julian Alvarez in the January transfer window | AFP via Getty Images
Chelsea have been linked with a club-record move for a player that’s proven himself against Premier League opposition
Chelsea are reportedly set to shake up the January transfer window by kicking off the Liam Rosenior era with a club-record offer for Atletico Madrid talisman Julian Alvarez.
Spanish outlet Fichajes reports that the west-London club’s top priority this month is to sign an attacker that can help the team establish itself at the top of a new order in the Premier League in years to come, and adds that Alvarez has been identified as the player that could make that happen.
Chelsea are no strangers to spending big in January. Back in 2023, they splashed out £106.8m on Argentine international Enzo Fernandez along with Ukrainian winger Mykhailo Mudryk in a deal estimated to be worth around £88m.
Chelsea make new stunning '£130m offer' for Alvarez
Fichajes claims Chelsea have made a staggering 150 million euro (£130m) to sign Alvarez.
The 25-year-old striker has scored 11 goals in 25 appearances this season while also chipping in with five assists. He’s renowned for his excellent pace, agility and clinical finishing in front of goal.
Alvarez made a name for himself in Argentina with River Plate, making his debut in 2018 before going on to play 122 matches for the club, scoring 54 and assisting 31 times in the process.
He was already an established international when he agreed to complete a transfer to Manchester City for £14m in January 2022 in a deal which would see him remain in his homeland for a further six months.
Alvarez won five major trophies in South America and quickly became a household name in Europe as well - helping City to a treble in his first season which included a Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup while also winning the World Cup that winter in between.
Overall, he scored 36 times and made 19 assists in 103 appearances for the Sky Blues; numbers which are made more impressive when considering he often played second fiddle to Erling Haaland during this period. He was once described by Pep Guardiola as an ‘ exceptional player’, but departed in 2024 to complete a blockbuster £81.8m move to Atletico Madrid. He’s scored 40 and assisted 13 times in 80 matches since relocating to the Spanish capital.
Why Alvarez is thought to be a top priority for Chelsea
Chelsea splashed out a combined total of around £90m to sign both Joao Pedro and Liam Delap from Brighton and Ipswich Town respectively over the summer.
Pedro has shown signs of promise with seven goals and four assists across all competitions, but the team haven’t seen much from Delap, who has just two across all competitions following an injury-hit start.
However, Chelsea are still lacking a striker that they can rely on to get 20+ goals in a campaign which is something that Alvarez is likely to offer given his track record.
Fichajes explains: “The outcome of this saga will largely depend on Atlético Madrid's willingness to let go of their most important player. However, Chelsea are prepared to present an offer that would be virtually impossible to refuse from both a financial and strategic standpoint.”
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