River Plate forward Julian Alvarez could make a move to Europe in January and his agent is looking to make a potential happen.
Argentine newspaper Ole claimed before the festive break that Manchester United had been in touch with River to express interest, along with Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid.
United’s interest has not progressed beyond that point as yet, although a trip across the hemispheres could force the Red Devils’ hands.
Agent flying to Europe for talks
Ole reports today that Alvarez’s agent Fernando Hidalgo is flying to Europe to hold talks with potential interested parties.
Hidalgo and River are keen to see if enquiries from clubs can turn into ‘formal proposals’ for the striker.
The report states: “Hidalgo’s idea is to listen to all the offers that arise for Julián and then transfer them to River. Although he does not have any scheduled meeting, the agent of the 21-year-old Cordoba jewel will listen to all interested parties who wish to contact him.”
The report re-iterated that United had made an enquiry after Alvarez, adding that Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan have also sent scouts to watch him in action in recent months.
As yet, no club has expressed an intention to pay Alvarez’s release clause, which stands at 20 million Euros (£17m).
Hidalgo is said to make this trip to Europe annually on behalf of his clients, and as such there is not necessarily anything special about this task for him, aside from for United’s perspective, the opportunity it provides.
Ball in United’s court
If United want to move for Alvarez, the ball is in the club’s court. United can set up a meeting with the striker’s agent and hold talks.
At the very least a discussion could take place, to learn more about the striker’s demands, expectations, and to explain what United can and cannot offer in terms of wages and playing time.
Worth a gamble?
With Alvarez’s release clause low, he seems worth a gamble. He is an Argentina international and scored 24 goals in all competitions for River Plate last season.
The 21-year-old has proven his quality in South America and he is a far better prospect than Facundo Pellistri was in terms of development, and would not cost substantially more.
It seems Alvarez is keen on exploring his options, and while United don’t need a striker until next summer, this could be an avenue worth looking at if a deal for Erling Haaland cannot be worked out.
- Newcastle’s £46m rejected bid proves that Man Utd have completed the best deal of the summer
- Michael Carrick might have provided a hint on Patrick Dorgu plans as transfer priority becomes clear
- Who is Tynan Thompson? Exciting Spurs wonderkid linked with move to Man Utd
- Ruben Amorim’s biggest wonderkid success story is ending brutally as Man Utd pre-season begins
- Dan Gore will hope for better Man Utd pre-season outing vs Wrexham than he had in 2023
- When Man Utd played Wrexham in the European Cup Winners’ Cup
- Is Man Utd vs Wrexham on TV? Michael Carrick’s men kick off pre-season tour ahead of World Cup final
- Man Utd star Lisandro Martinez could now receive ‘rare’ World Cup prize if Argentina beat Spain in final
- Wayne Rooney’s four ‘GOAT’ picks across all sports are Man Utd and England icon’s biggest compliment ever
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
