Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has expressed the Cityzens’s desire to keep Julian Alvarez at the Etihad amid speculations linking the Argentine forward with a move to Atletico Madrid, Soccernet.football reports.
Alvarez’s future at City has been surrounded by uncertainty in recent days but Guardiola has dismissed the idea that the Copa America winner could be heading to Atletico Madrid this summer, insisting ‘he counts on him’.
Currently representing Argentina at the Paris Olympics after helping the South American nation win the Copa America last month, Alvarez has expressed frustration over his lack of playing time in major matches.
Though a valuable member of Guardiola’s squad, he was often deployed in an attacking midfield role as injury cover, with Erling Haaland firmly established as City’s first-choice forward.
During a press conference in Paris, the forward mentioned that he would consider his future at the Etihad Stadium after the Olympics, with Arsenal and Chelsea also reportedly interested in him, alongside Atletico.
When asked about the possibility of the 24-year-old moving to Madrid, Guardiola provided few details, effectively dismissing the question.
“He’s absolutely our player. No news. I don’t have anything to say. He will come back,” Guardiola said.
“I count on him, but he said in the news that decisions will be made all together. Now he has to rest and when he feels ready to come back, he will come back.
“I’m sure when he comes back, I’ll hug and congratulate him for the Copa America, for the Olympics, and we will start to work together. This is the reality.
“What happens in the meantime, I have a thousand million things to think about the team.
“Next week we play for the first trophy of the season [the Community Shield against Manchester United at Wembley]. [In] two weeks, we play at Stamford Bridge again. That’s my only concern.”