Julian Alvarez can follow in footsteps of Argentina star Lionel Messi once called 'spectacular'

Anyone who's ever played Football Manager will know there's nothing quite like signing a South American wonderkid.

Manchester City are on the verge of welcoming Julian Alvarez to the Etihad Stadium, with the Premier League champions shelling out an initial £17.9m before sending the 21-year-old back to River Plate until later in the year.

City once boasted a healthy Argentinian contingent within their squad, and Alvarez has already been tipped to replace Sergio Aguero in the City ranks. However, it may not quite be that simple.

City Is Ours editor Dom Farrell caught up with Argentinian football expert Dan Edwards on the MEN's latest Facebook Live to find out more about the highly-rated youngster.

Dan was quick to stress that Alvarez's expected move to European football is far more similar to the switch made by Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez - a player once described as "spectacular" by Lionel Messi - than City hero Aguero, but that doesn't mean City fans should be any less excited about the impending arrival of one of South America's next big stars.

"In the last five years, him [Alvarez] and Lautaro Martinez - who went from Racing Club to Inter Milan at a very young age for a similar transfer fee - I'd say those two are further ahead than any other young talents Argentina have produced.

"From an attacking point of view, they're the only recent players to have jumped straight from the Argentine top flight to what you would call an elite club.

"I'd say the Lautaro example is interesting for City. He came in and was given time to settle. He didn't have the pressure of 'you've come here, you've cost us £20m, now you're going to be playing every game, go and score a load of goals'.

"He played as an understudy