Aston Villa have been tracking Julian Alvarez for ten months but face a major challenge as they look to lure the River Plate star to the Premier League, as reported by Ole.
The Argentina international was hardly an unknown quantity back in January of this year, when Villa first showed an interest.
But the competition for his signature certainly wasn’t as fierce then as it is now.
Where will Julian Alvarez go in 2022?
AC Milan sent a scout to watch Alvarez in action earlier this month – and the timing could hardly have been better.
River Plate’s talismanic number nine scored his first ever senior hat-trick that day, putting San Lorenzo to the sword with a performance which brought to mind a young Sergio Aguero; razor sharp finishing from all angles complemented by outstanding movement and a relentless work ethic.
According to Ole, Serie A champions Inter have also expressed an interest, as have a Real Madrid side who very nearly snapped up Alvarez a decade ago, only to be left frustrated by those pesky La Liga laws.
It almost goes without saying, then, that Aston Villa will need to turn their charm up to eleven if they want Alvarez to choose a club sitting 13th in the Premier League over three of the biggest and most historic footballing institutions in Europe.
Alvarez, who has been hailed by Diego Simeone and compared to Cristiano Ronaldo in recent weeks, has a £21 million release clause in a contract that is due to expire at the end of 2022.
And River Plate know that the Copa America winner is unlikely to sign an extension with his dream of making a name for himself on the other side of the Atlantic expected to become a reality sooner rather than later.
In 14 games, Alvarez has produced 11 goals and six assists this season – no wonder former River Plate hero Gonzalo Higuain believes his old employers have a star on their hands.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
