Liverpool has been quiet in the transfer market this summer with Arne Slot explaining earlier today that it is hard to find upgrades on the roster that he has inherited . But Manchester City, a potential Premier League title rival, has not done much either .
Pep Guardiola's side has brought in Savinho from fellow City Football Group side Troyes in a deal worth up to $44m (£34m/€40m) but Manchester City has done nothing else. And now, in a move that could make it weaker, Atletico Madrid is close to agreeing a transfer deal that would see Julian Alvarez sign for the La Liga side, according to The Athletic .
The fee is expected to be "at least" $89m (£70m/€82m) but the money is not really something that Manchester City is short of. What it needs is quality back-up to its main stars and instead could be losing a vital member of its squad.
READ MORE: Liverpool star set for unlikely new role after Arne Slot admission opening up transfer opportunity
READ MORE: Liverpool transfer news LIVE: Anthony Gordon latest, Giorgi Mamardashvili move, Julio Soler price
Alvarez, 24, made 54 appearances for Manchester City last season, scoring 19 times and providing 13 assists. But he wants more meaningful game time and that is not going to come ahead of Erling Haaland .
It is a problem that has been coming for a while. Alvarez is an excellent young forward with plenty of potential still to be unlocked, but he was never getting ahead of Haaland in the pecking order. Liverpool has found similar when it comes to finding a back-up and potential long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah . Who would want to compete for minutes with the Egyptian?
For Manchester City, perhaps the solution could be to sign a more versatile attacker as Alvarez's successor; someone who can play wide as well as centrally could make sense to ensure that player gets as many minutes as possible. There is no obvious fix, though standing in Alvarez's way would not do any good for morale either.
With Salah's injury history having been so good across his tenure at Liverpool, the Reds have never really needed a replacement for him. But a comparable situation is brewing elsewhere: with so many young talents coming through like Bobby Clark , Ben Doak and Kaide Gordon , it is possible that some might have to be sold because realistically, integrating the sheer volume of exciting teenagers will be impossible.
Likewise, finding an alternative number to if Caoimhin Kelleher was to move on would be a similarly impossible task. Who wants to be back-up to Alisson Becker ? It also explains why Liverpool has not been active in the market this summer.
"The bar is really high for new signings because we have so many good players," Slot told a group of reporters on the USA pre-season tour this week. "It is not so easy to first find a player to meet those standards."
As Manchester City is forced to cash in on a player that it would rather keep and then faces the unenviable task of trying to replace Alvarez, it is a transfer reminder for Liverpool. If Slot is to properly compete for the Premier League title in his debut season at Anfield , he is going to have to overtake Manchester City.
And while some Liverpool fans grow frustrated at a lack of business so far this summer, some perspective is required. Manchester City has not been particularly active — and indeed could lose arguably one of its best players against its will.
Liverpool does need some reinforcements to bridge the gap at the top of the table (though it should be noted that those are expected to arrive before the August 30 deadline). It is not the case, though, that the teams above the Reds are substantially better or that Liverpool is in danger of being left further behind.
Most Popular
Comments / 0