New Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez has expressed his happiness on completing the move to the Etihad Stadium, revealing that he has already spoken with Pep Guardiola.
City made a last-minute deadline day signing last week, confirming the deal to acquire Alvarez from River Plate for £14.1 million.
The highly rated 22-year-old, who scored 24 goals and provided 15 assists last season to guide River Plate to a league and Copa Libertadores double, will stay in Argentina on loan at River until at least July.
For the first time since sealing the move, Alvarez spoke out before a pre-season friendly encounter against Velez Sarsfield on Saturday.
Speaking to ESPN Futbol Argentina, via Albiceleste Talk, Alvarez said "I am personally halp happy. Talk to my representative, the clubs talked and it happened."
"I already spoke with Guardiola, a little chat. I'm an admirer of him. He welcome me and was happy because I joined his project."
Alvarez added that "He [Guardiola] welcomed me, congratulated me on what I had done, and that he was happy that I was joining the Manchester City project for these years."
It will be a day to remember for Alvarez, especially since the announcement of the signing came on his 22nd birthday.
He also revealed that Argentina national team manager Lionel Scaloni contacted him to congratulate him for the signing and for his birthday.
"Scaloni congratulated me on the signing, it also happened on my birthday. He congratulated me for both of them."
It will be interesting to see how Alvarez ends up fitting in Guardiola's system, as while he is a natural striker, the Spanish manager has often made use of a formation that utilises a false-nine, with the only natural senior striker already at the club, Gabriel Jesus, often being shifted to the wings, while Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish or Raheem Sterling lead the line.
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