Spanish club Atletico Madrid has finalised an £82m deal to acquire Argentina forward Julian Alvarez from Manchester City.
Alvarez, who did not participate in City’s Community Shield victory over Manchester United on Saturday, has agreed to a six-year deal with Diego Simeone’s team.
He moves to Spain after an immensely successful two and a half years in England, during which he won six trophies and scored 36 goals in 103 matches while wearing the sky-blue jersey.
Having arrived from River Plate in a deal worth £14m in January 2022, the 24-year-old’s sale represents a huge profit for City. The £82m fee makes it a club-record sale for City. It ranks as the fifth-largest transfer to a foreign club in Premier League history.
During his time at City, Alvarez also won the 2022 World Cup with Argentina and the Copa America earlier this year.
“Today I say goodbye to this amazing club, with a lot of emotion,” said Alvarez on City’s official website.
“These have been two very special years. During this time, I have grown and learnt a lot – both as a player and as a person.
“To my team-mates, thank you for every moment we have shared, for the effort and dedication in every training session and every match
“Manchester City will always have a special place in my heart. I wish you every success in the future and will keep supporting the club wherever I may be.”