Julian Alvarez’s agent recently travelled to England amid reports linking the striker with a £22 million move to Aston Villa or Tottenham Hotspur, River Plate vice-president Jorge Brito has told Ole.
What better way to welcome Steven Gerrard or Antonio Conte back to life on English soil than rewarding them with one of the most exciting young forwards in world football?
There are worse welcome presents.
Aston Villa have been watching Alvarez like a hawk since he burst on to the scene at the turn of the year.
The Midlands giants may now wish they’d made their move last summer, given they are expected to face a lot more competition for the 21-year-old Argentina international these days.
According to Calciomercato, Tottenham have joined the race, as have AC Milan, Inter, Borussia Dortmund and a Real Madrid side that missed out on the chance to sign Alvarez when he was a teenager.
Will Julian Alvarez join Tottenham or Aston Villa?
The River Plate talisman took his tally to 15 goals in 16 games with four in last weekend’s 5-0 thrashing of CA Patronato. That means he has scored more on his own than Tottenham’s entire team have managed in the past three months of Premier League football.
“The objective, now his representative has returned from England, is to talk to reach a good agreement and that Julian stays,” says Brito, who still hopes to tie Alvarez down to a new long-term deal.
His current contract expires in 2022 and includes an affordable £22 million release clause.
“I can speak for River. We believe he is young, he has grown up a lot, the world is talking about him and there is a World Cup next year. That is a description of reality.
“We look to sell a player when he has reached his ceiling – a moment that is good for him and the club. And we believe Julian still has not arrived at his (ceiling).
“Julian has no limits. We have not seen such a player in Argentina for a long time.”
Alvarez has even been likened to a young Cristiano Ronaldo in recent weeks, while one observer tipped him to become “better” than Inter Milan ace and fellow Argentinian Lautaro Martinez.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
