Julian Alvarez ‘is being monitored by Arsenal’ after his public exchange of words with Pep Guardiola but Gunners ‘may need to sell more players to fund a move for £80m-rated Man City star’

Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez is reportedly a transfer candidate for Arsenal.

Alvarez has scored 20 goals and provided nine assists in 67 Premier League appearances for City since joining the club from River Plate in 2022.

However, he started on the bench in last season’s FA Cup final, having only appeared as a substitute in both games of City’s Champions League quarter-final defeat to Real Madrid.

The 24-year-old recently stated that he would decide his future after representing Argentina at this summer’s Olympic Games in France.

Alvarez said: ‘Last season I was one of the players with the most minutes at City. But… at the end of the day you don’t like being left out of important games; you want to contribute.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is reportedly interested in signing the Man City star this summer

“I’m taking time to think about what I want for myself. We’ll see after the Games. First, if I can, I’ll take a few days off. Then we’ll decide.”

City manager Pep Guardiola was asked about Alvarez’s comments and replied during the club’s US tour: ‘I’m not thinking about replacing him. I knew he said he would think about it.

‘Once he’s done thinking, his agent will call Txiki [Begiristain] and we’ll see what happens.

‘I know he wants to play important moments, yes. But the other [do] also. 18, 19 players also want to play the big games.

“I read that he wants to think about it. Okay, think about it and then he will tell us what he wants to do.”

Alvarez said earlier this summer that he would decide on his future after the Olympics

City manager Pep Guardiola delivered a blunt message when asked about Alvarez’s comments

According to The mirrorArsenal are closely monitoring Alvarez’s situation after Guardiola sent the striker a clear message.

It is claimed the player would fetch a transfer fee of around £80million, including bonuses.

Arsenal may have to sell more players before they can make such an expensive purchase.

Emile Smith Rowe recently left for Fulham in a £27million deal, while local star players Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson have also been linked with potential departures.

Alvarez played all 90 minutes for his country on Friday night as Argentina lost 1-0 to France in the quarter-finals of the Olympic Games.

Alvarez (right) pictured in action for Argentina against France during the Olympic Games on Friday night

Ahead of that match, he was asked about Guardiola’s reaction to his initial comments about his considerations regarding his future.

“I heard what Guardiola said,” Alvarez said TyC Sports‘I don’t have much to say about it.

I never said anything bad. I just said I would think about it, as I do every season, to do an analysis of what happened last season, a forecast of what might come.

‘I always say I’m happy at City, a great club. So I didn’t say anything bad.’