Manchester City sign Julian Alvarez, nicknamed 'The Spider', from River Plate on a five-and-a-half-year deal

ByEurosport

Updated 31/01/2022 at 14:43 GMT

Manchester City have signed one of the most exciting young players in South American football for a fee believed to be in the region of £18m, triggering his release clause. Alvarez will head straight back to River Plate on loan until the summer. Manchester City's director of football believes he is one of "the best young attackers in South America."

Julian Alvarez

Image credit: Getty Images

Manchester City have signed Julian Alvarez from River Plate on a five-and-a-half-year deal.

Aged just 22, Alvarez has scored 36 goals and contributed 25 assists in 96 appearances for the Primera Division champions and scored the goal that sealed the club the title last season.

Alvarez, who has five international caps for Argentina, will be loaned back to River Plate until at least July.

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"Julian is a player we have monitored for some time,” City's director of football Txiki Begiristain told the club's official website.

"He is capable of operating in a number of attacking roles, and we firmly believe he's one of the best young attacking players in South America.

“I am so happy we have managed to bring him to Manchester City. I really believe we can provide him with the right conditions to fulfil his potential and become a top player.”

Alvarez, nicknamed "The Spider", was named South American Footballer of the Year in 2021.

He scored a brace in River Plate's 2-1 win over fierce rivals Boca Juniors in October last year, becoming the first player to score twice in a Superclasico since Gonzalo Higuain in 2006.

Alvarez made his senior international debut in a World Cup qualifier against Chile in June last year and was also part of Argentina's squad that won Copa America.

City have been looking for a striker to succeed Sergio Aguero, who departed the Premier League champions last summer. Aguero is the club's all-time top scorer with 260 goals in 390 appearances.