Yesterday, Atlético de Madrid managed to close its big transfer of the summer after reaching an agreement with Julián Álvarez for the next five years. The Argentine striker was the red-and-white team's desired player to give a leap in quality to the squad. Now, it's time to review one of the most important moments in the footballer's career, when he was still at River Plate.
Actually, it can be said that Julián Álvarez began to interest clubs in Europe after being the star of Núñez's team. The South American led River Plate to the league title and starred in one of the most spectacular nights in the Copa Libertadores . Many think that, after that clash against Alianza Lima, Manchester City would make the decision to go for his signing.
Julián Álvarez's big night
All the great forwards in the world have a date marked on the calendar of their sporting career that marks them for posterity. In the case of Julián Álvarez, it was a match from the CONMEBOL Libertadores group stage that he played against Alianza Lima . That match corresponded to the last day and Julián Álvarez wanted to demonstrate all his potential in the scoring aspect.
The young striker scored, nothing more and nothing less, than six goals against the Peruvian team, something that caught everyone's attention. The match would end with River Plate winning 8-1, although they would not end up lifting the trophy. In fact, Julián Álvarez went into the break with three goals under his belt, scoring another three during the second half.
After that exhibition held in May 2022 , Manchester City would be the team that would make the decision to close his transfer. In fact, the player was already in the spotlight of Pep Guardiola 's team, although there were certain doubts about his future. River Plate wanted to keep their youth player to compete in the remainder of the CONMEBOL Libertadores , although it was not possible.
Atlético de Madrid scratches its pocket
At that time, the signing of the Argentine cost less than 25 million , while the rojiblanco team will pay a fixed 70 million. The total amount that could be paid by the Metropolitano for Julián Álvarez amounts to 95 million euros . This figure may seem high, but Simeone is incorporating one of the most promising footballers on the entire planet.
RIVER PLATE vs. ALIANZA LIMA | [8-1] | RESUMEN | CONMEBOL LIBERTADORES 2022
Currently, Julián Álvarez is indisputable in Scaloni's plans for the Argentina national team, having won three titles since 2022. On the other hand, he has been much more of a protagonist under Pep Guardiola than one might expect, although he had less luck in more decisive matches . Now, he arrives in Spain with the firm objective of being the leader in the mattress attack and being able to bring more trophies to the showcases of the Madrid entity.