Julian Alvarez transfer uncertainty leaves Man City facing a tricky decision

Julian Alvarez finds himself in a difficult position.

The Manchester City forward is one of the most valuable footballers on the planet, with a career CV better than many to have ever played the game as he goes for gold at the Olympics to add to his unbelievable trophy haul. At the age of 24, and with three years left on his contract, at the end of May this year Alvarez was valued by the CIES Football Observatory at £141m - more than 10 times what City paid for him two years ago.

However, Alvarez also has to come to terms with the fact that he is at a club where his favoured position is also chosen by Erling Haaland - the best No.9 in the world and usually an automatic pick for Pep Guardiola. Unless Haaland is injured, it is hard work for Alvarez to play where he wants.

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Alvarez likely won't be joining up with City until the season has started because of his decision to play in a second international tournament of the summer, and there are some doubts over whether he will play for the Blues again. Atletico Madrid are said to be interested in offering the forward a bigger opportunity to shine.

City are receptive to players asking to leave but have no interest in letting them go to rivals on the cheap, so Atletico will need to act like Barcelona did over Ferran Torres and not like Barcelona did over just about every other City player in the last five years. If Alvarez really wants to leave, he has to convince Atletico he is worth so much.

A bit like Torres, it is hard to gauge just how much Alvarez is worth to City. He is clearly rated highly by