Pep Guardiola is reportedly amused after Manchester City thwarted Chelsea’s recent transfer plans, leaving Chelsea’s new manager, Enzo Maresca, in a challenging position.
This summer, Chelsea has been aiming to strengthen their squad and has placed several players, including Conor Gallagher, up for sale. Despite Gallagher’s reluctance to leave, Chelsea wants to cash in before his contract expires next year.
They are looking to bolster their attacking options and have shown interest in Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise. Chelsea is not alone in this pursuit, with Newcastle and Bayern Munich also in the mix.
However, securing Olise is complex, primarily due to his £60 million release clause, which reportedly can only be activated by Champions League clubs. To address this, Chelsea plans to offer a structured deal exceeding the release clause amount.
In addition to Olise, Chelsea seeks a new striker to either replace or compete with Nicolas Jackson. Here, Manchester City comes into play, as Chelsea has targeted City’s unsettled striker, Julian Alvarez.
Signed from River Plate for £14 million in early 2022, Alvarez impressed in his first season at City, scoring 17 goals and helping the team win the treble. He followed up with 19 goals in the 2023/24 season.
Despite his scoring prowess, Alvarez has found regular starts hard to come by, playing second fiddle to Erling Haaland and competing with Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden for playing time.
Feeling frustrated with his limited role, Alvarez has caught the attention of several top clubs, including Chelsea, PSG, and Atletico Madrid. Renowned Argentine journalist Gaston Edul confirmed Chelsea’s interest and their readiness to make a substantial bid.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano added that while City would not consider a loan move, they might be swayed by an offer around €80 million (£68 million).
However, a recent update from Football Insider indicates that City and Guardiola have firmly decided against letting Alvarez leave this summer, effectively ending Chelsea’s hopes of securing the striker.
This decision, while beneficial for City in retaining a talented player, presents Guardiola with a selection headache.
Despite Alvarez’s dissatisfaction with his current role, finding him regular starting opportunities in an already star-studded lineup remains a daunting challenge for Guardiola.
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