With Alvarez close to finalizing his deal to move to Atletico Madrid, Premier League giants Manchester City have begun to accelerate their reinforcement plans to fill the void in their squad that may be created by Alvarez's departure. According to Sky Sports, City have set their sights on Crystal Palace winger Eze and intend to activate the £60 million release clause in his contract straight away.
Alvarez had a great season in the Premier League last season and despite playing almost full time, he was still dissatisfied with his playing time in the center forward position. This change of heart has prompted him to seek a move, with Atletico Madrid emerging as a potential destination. The deal is expected to bring in a whopping £81 million in transfer revenue for City, which will no doubt provide a significant financial boost to the team's reinforcement efforts.
Manchester City have kept a relatively low profile in the transfer market this summer, with only one signing so far, youngster Savinho. However, with the season approaching and news of Alvarez's departure, sporting director Begiristain has begun to step up reinforcements to ensure the team remains competitive in the new season. Eze, as a striker for Crystal Palace, performed well in all competitions last season, making a total of 31 appearances and contributing 11 goals and 6 assists, making him an important part of the team's offense. In addition, he also represented England to participate in the European Cup this summer, showing his strength in the international arena.
However, Manchester City's path to signing Eze has not been a smooth one. Despite the fact that the team has enough financial resources to pay the release fee, manager Pep Guardiola is not very positive about Eze's joining. Guardiola believes that the team already has strong players such as Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden on the right winger position, and newcomer Savinho can also play in that position. Therefore, he has reservations about the need to bring in Eze.
In addition, Manchester City will also face competition from other Premier League giants. Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle United have all expressed strong interest in Eze and may join the transfer battle. This makes it necessary for City to be more cautious and decisive in the process of bringing in Eze to ensure the successful signing of this powerful striker.
