Pep Guardiola gives verdict on Julian Alvarez performances since sealing Man City transfer

Manchester City have been pleased with what they have seen from Julian Alvarez since he signed for the club, Pep Guardiola says.

City signed Alvarez in January for £14m and agreed that he will remain on loan at River Plate for the rest of the season. There had been some suggestion he could stay in Argentina beyond that should River progress in the Copa Libertadores, but City and Guardiola have made fairly clear that they intend for the striker to be part of their pre-season squad.

Since securing his transfer to City, Alvarez has continued the fine goalscoring form that attracted them in the first place as he scored an eye-catching hat-trick against Patronato in one of four appearances so far this season.

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And Guardiola has told Ole that the reports of Alvarez's performances coming back to City are impressive as they continue to prepare to welcome the Argentine international in July.

"If we hire him, it is to have him with us," Guardiola reiterated.

"There is a fundamental question: we believe that he is a player for us. Julian smells like a goal and goals are worth money. At City they saw him as an opportunity for the future, in the next pre-season he will be with us.

"I see him on TV but I want to see him on the grass with his teammates, with what we want him to do. If we weren't convinced we wouldn't have bought him. We want it yes or yes.

"The reports we have are exceptional. How he moves in short spaces and how he defines is something very difficult to find."

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