“He is almost undroppable,” said Pep Guardiola. At a treble-winning club, such high praise is hard to come by. Julian Alvarez had just provided two assists in the Premier League victory over West Ham United in September. “He’s learning how to move in the pockets, he’s a threat with goals and assists, and his work ethic,” said the Manchester City manager.
The departure of Ilkay Gundogan and injury to Kevin De Bruyne led Guardiola to deploy the Argentinian as a second striker, behind Erling Haaland. “He has his chance and he is using it,” said Guardiola. Three goals and three assists in his first seven games in the Premier League, plus two goals against Red Star Belgrade and another versus RB Leipzig in the Champions League, show the 23-year-old’s form with City has stepped up from last season. In his first year in Manchester, the forward managed 17 goals and five assists in 49 games for the treble winners.
His displays and form early on this season mark the latest chapter in the development of one of world football’s brightest young stars. At 23 years of age, Alvarez already has 13 titles to his name – one more than Lionel Messi had won by the same age. He has already won every major trophy in the game, and could
