He has been at Manchester City for two seasons and won more silverware than the club earned in the first 85 years of their history.
So perhaps the £82m fee City will receive from Atletico Madrid includes a premium for the guarantee of silverware that seemingly accompanies him to Spain. Certainly it represents a remarkable piece of business, and negotiating, by City: signed for a bargain £14m from River Plate – a price that looked still better when, a year later, Chelsea paid £107m for Enzo Fernandez, another of that River team, but who went to Stamford Bridge via Benfica – they will sell him for a club-record amount.
They can note that Erling Haaland’s deputy will go for a sum that is around £30m more than the Norwegian cost. At a point when many a club on mainland Europe appears cash-strapped, they are squeezing one of the 20 biggest fees ever from Atletico.
And that for a player who seemed to have the bittersweet billing of the best second-choice striker in the game. Not, admittedly, for much of last season when Pep Guardiola seemed to think a match lacked official status if Alvarez did not start it in some position, but Alvarez did not begin the FA Cup final, nor either leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid,
or the visit of Arsenal, or the game at Tottenham where the title was all but won, or the match against West Ham when it actually was.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة August 08, 2024 من The Independent.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة August 08, 2024 من The Independent.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
'No thought' batting leaves England on brink of defeat
England were left facing an uphill battle to maintain their unbeaten Test summer after batting with \"no thought\" in the second innings.
Sinner seals US Open with straight-sets win over Fritz
Jannik Sinner let his tennis do the talking as he won the US Open for the first time. The world number one came into the tournament under a cloud following his anti-doping scandal, where he escaped a ban despite two positive tests in March.
Coach Carsley could signal end of the England manager
Lee Carsley has said he is more of a head coach than a manager and that the latter could become extinct in international football.
Team GB's triumph goes far beyond the medal table tally
In terms of weather, they've had the worst summer in nearly 140 years here in Paris, which is perhaps why Britain's Paralympians felt so at home.
VENETIAN CLASS
Venice festivalgoers were treated to a first look at the actors and films in contention for Oscars, writes Geoffrey Macnab
THREE'S COMPANY
Oliver Keens didn't set out to have threesomes this summer - from heterosexual couples 'seeking a third' to sex-positive 'MMF friendly' individuals, the opportunities found him...
How William can live up to his father's wish for him to champion the marginalised
Yesterday marked the second anniversary of Elizabeth II's death and the King's accession to the throne. In his first televised address to the nation as Charles III, he thanked his “darling Mama” for her love and devotion, quoted Shakespeare – “May flights of Angels sing thee to thy rest” – and assumed her mantle of a lifelong commitment to public service.
Namibia to slaughter over 700 wild animals for meat
Plans by the Namibian government to kill 83 elephants and 640 other wild animals to feed the meat to people have sparked a fierce international row. The British high commissioner to the country is among those backing the idea but ecologists are warning of a colossal disaster” for Africa’s wildlife.
Man accused of filming rape on Indian street is arrested
Police in India arrested a man who allegedly filmed and shared a video of the rape of a woman on a street in a case that has sparked a public outcry.
Pope hosts mass in remote Papua New Guinea town
Pontiff calls for end to tribal violence in nearby communities