Man City could sign “one of the best in the world” to replace Alvarez

Manchester City will be looking to improve on the 2023/24 season which brought them just one trophy. Coming off the back of a historic treble campaign in 2022/23, the Cityzens will no doubt be hoping to go back and win the treble twice, although it hasn't happened.

Pep Guardiola's side won the Premier League for the fourth time in a row, setting a record for most consecutive Premier League titles won. However, they were knocked out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage and fell to the last leg of the FA Cup, losing at Wembley against Manchester United.

City bounced back last Saturday, and overcame their Wembley demons to beat their bitter cross-town rivals in the Community Shield – winning their first silverware of the season. Now, the Cityzens face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in their first top-flight opener on Sunday afternoon, looking to get off to a flying start as they aim to make it five league titles in a row.

To help them do so, Guardiola's side could re-enter the transfer market before the August 30 deadline. They have recently been linked with one player who could add to the quality as they push for silverware.

Man City target La Liga striker

The player in question here is Real Madrid and Brazil striker Rodrygo. The 23-year-old Brazilian impressed last season at Los Blancos, but the signing of Kylian Mbappe has thrown his future at the club up in the air.

As reported by Football Transfers earlier this week, the 23-year-old striker is 'highly recommended by City', with the report confirming that discussions between the club and the player's team have taken place to make it sound like something is possible.

In terms of value, the Brazilian star is worth a staggering £149.5m. That's a price that would make the 23-year-old City's most expensive player, eclipsing the £100m they spent on Jack Grealish in the summer of 2021 from Premier League rivals Aston Villa.

Why Rodrygo can't sign well

As you would expect from a player of Rodrygo's caliber, he has been excellent for Los Blancos in their 2023/24 double-winning campaign. He played 51 games in all competitions, scoring 17 goals and making nine assists. It is not really surprising that he was described as one”the best players in the world” by manager Carlo Ancelotti

That includes 15 goals and assists in 35 La Liga games, and eight goals and assists in 13 Champions League games. He was a major contributor to Carlo Ancelotti's side as they won both competitions in impressive fashion.

Indeed, the Brazilian could be a replacement for another South American at the Etihad Stadium, Julian Alvarez. The Argentine has won three trebles with the Cityzens in the past two seasons but has struggled to start ahead of Erling Haaland in his natural role as a striker, and has since left the club for £81.5m for Atletico Madrid.

He was key to Guardiola's side last season, scoring 19 goals and providing 13 assists in all competitions. His versatility has also been key, and although he doesn't always start at full-forward, his versatility means he's slotted in more and more as a number 10, too.

That being said, City may need to look no further than Real Madrid's number 11 when looking to replace the World Cup Winner. The former Santos striker has played in five different positions for Madrid and featured heavily in three of those.

The deal will be outrageously expensive for the Cityzens to get over the line, a record breaking record for their club. Not only is the fee stolen, but so is his salary. The Brazilian currently earns £205k-a-week at the Santiago Bernabeu according to Capology. However, Rodrygo has very high quality; he is a very good link-up player, quick and direct on the ball and a good finisher.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig called the 23-year-old “an icon of the future”, and he could be just that in the City skyline if he joins. Alvarez is a tough player to replace, but the Cityzens may have their answer in Rodrygo, who could be the man to help them win the treble again.