Barcelona keen on move for River Plate striker Julian Alvarez: Things to know about him

Bengaluru, Dec. 13: Barcelona are reportedly weighing up the options to sign 21-year-old Argentine forward Julian Alvarez in the January transfer window.

The River Plate striker has been on the radar for a host of Europe's elite sides in recent months and with each passing week, the list of potential suitors are only growing. But it is now understood that the La Liga side have gone ahead in the race and reportedly set to visit him in Argentina to open talks with River Plate to secure the signature in January.

Barcelona have been marred with injuries recently in their offensive third. Memphis Depay, Martin Braithwaite, and Ansu Fati all are currently sidelined with injuries. Furthermore, with Sergio Aguero ruled out for an unknown period with heart issues and loan signing Luuk De Jong performing poorly, the forward line is in desperate need of a facelift. The Argentine striker's name hence has been buzzing around.

His outstanding form

An Academy graduate of the Argentine giant, the 21-year-old has established himself as one of the most sought-after strikers on the back of a stunning 2021 campaign. The youngster has scored 22 times and provided 14 assists in 45 appearances across all competitions this year, which speaks volumes about his talent. His exploits have also helped him break into the national side, and he was also a part of the squad that won the Copa America this year.

Playing Style

Alvarez possesses a blistering pace, is strong in the air and on the ground. A lethal finisher of the ball, he is equally comfortable playing on the right-wing as well. He has strong feet that makes him extremely difficult to dispossess, and equally hard to tackle.

Transfer Fee

Alvarez’s contract is set to expire in December 2022. He reportedly has a release clause worth €25 million. Given Barcelona’s financial constraints, Alvarez's price hence perfectly fits the bill for the Spanish giants. However, apart from Barcelona, AC Milan, Fiorentina, Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Juventus, and even Aston Villa and West Ham have expressed interest in signing him. So Barcelona may have to act fast to secure him in January.