Liverpool
Liverpool willing to pay over £100 million to sign Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid
Liverpool could part ways with four of their best attackers at the end of the season with Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah having all been linked with departing Anfield. A potential exodus of offensive options would leave Arne Slot with only Cody Gakpo as a reliable option in the final third, thus requiring the club to invest in offensive names in the summer.
Anfield Watch has reported that Liverpool have shortlisted Atletico Madrid star Julian Alvarez as a potential signing for the summer. He joined them in the previous summer for roughly £89 million from Manchester City and is having a superb campaign under Diego Simeone, with 22 goals and five assists to his name before Atleti’s La Liga clash with Barcelona late on Sunday.
It is believed that although Alvarez is firmly a part of the Spanish side’s plans, it would take a transfer fee over the £100 million mark to purchase him this summer and it seems like an investment that Liverpool are willing to make. The Argentine, however, seems like an alternative to Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, whose capture could cost as much as £150 million.
Isak a better addition than Alvarez
There is no denying Julian Alvarez’s qualities, especially with his numbers for an incredibly defensive team like Atletico Madrid being accounted for. However, Alexander Isak would be a much better addition to the Liverpool side because of his playmaking abilities as well as his experience in the Premier League with Newcastle United from the last few seasons.
Should Newcastle face to make the Champions League for next season, they might be required to sell a few players to balance their books and Isak might be available for a lower sum in the summer, in which case he would become a better financial choice for the Reds as well. Ultimately, Isak is only five months older than Alvarez, so both players promise to be long-term investments.
Isak is physically more adept than Alvarez as well, so he would probably fit better into Arne Slot’s system of high intensity football and pressing, while he could also ensure Cody Gakpo flourishes with his hold-up play and ability to release attackers with passes in behind the defence whereas Alvarez is a player who requires service into the box to be able to produce the numbers.
