Atletico Madrid president breaks silence on signing Man City's Julian Alvarez as 'asking price' laid bare

Atletico Madrid’s president has broken his silence on the prospect of signing Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez.

Alvarez has just completed a second season at City, having netted 19 goals as Pep Guardiola’s men claimed their fourth Premier League title in succession.

While the City marksman has technically been an understudy to Erling Haaland for much of his time in Manchester, he made 54 appearances in all competitions last term and wracked up the eighth most amount of minutes among all City players.

However, Spanish publication Marca has claimed Alvarez is considering a move to gain more prominence, as he is aware Haaland will always be ahead of him in the pecking order.

Marca also alleged that Atletico had already made an approach regarding the prospect of a deal for Alvarez but the Premier League champions ‘flatly refused’ the possibility of a transfer.

Indeed, Atlético’s president Enrique Cerezo has now broken his silence on the matter.

He said: “Julian Alvarez is a Manchester City player, and I don’t think he’s going to move from there.”

It is said that City would only consider a bid of at least €80million (£67.9million) before add-ons for Alvarez, a fee likely to be too expensive for Atletico.

Alvarez joined City for an initial £14million fee from River Plate two summers ago and still has three years left on his contract.

Alvarez scored 19 goals last season (Getty)

Reports in his native Argentina have added that Chelsea are also preparing their own move for Alvarez.

Chelsea’s hierarchy have a positive relationship with City having signed Cole Palmer and Raheem Sterling in recent years, with Mateo Kovacic making the move from Stamford Bridge to the Etihad.

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