Real Madrid is keeping tabs on Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez. The World Cup winner with Argentina is the secondary option behind Erling Haaland at the Etihad. However, when he has had his opportunities, he continues to make the most of them.

According to several reports, Los Blancos see Alvarez as a safety net if the intended transfer of Kylian Mbappé falls through. All signs point to Mbappé making the move to Spain in the summer of 2024. However, Real Madrid did not pull the trigger on paying for Mbappé in the summer of 2023. Instead, club president Florentino Perez wants to acquire the French star on a free move.

Since then, Mbappé has aligned closer with PSG. He elected to stay with PSG this season. He has competed in each of the club’s games to open the campaign. Moreover, he will turn down any bonuses this season to ensure the club gets compensation.

If Mbappé chooses to stay with PSG, Real Madrid will look elsewhere for its blockbuster signing of the summer of 2024. In steps Julian Alvarez. At the age of 23, Alvarez has an impressive 11 goals in his time in the Premier League. Most of that was in a secondary role behind Haaland in Pep Guardiola’s side.

Real Madrid sees Julian Alvarez as elite young goal-scorer

The Argentine truly made waves during his stint at the 2022 World Cup. Entering the competition, Lautaro Martinez was the frontrunner to lead the line for Argentina. However, Alvarez stepped in during Martinez’s struggles. The Manchester City forward scored four goals at the World Cup. That includes a brace in the semifinals against Croatia.

If Mbappé elects to renew his contract, Alvarez would be a far more affordable option for Real Madrid. Also, Alvarez has a brief history with Real Madrid. He spent a month with its academy. However, Real has a strict policy against signing international youth players under the age of 13. Alvarez was just 11 at the time.

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