Manchester City have a fantastic track record when it comes to transfers these days – and one player has proven to be serious value as he passed a milestone last weekend.

City officials have managed to assemble one of the strongest squads in world football, and it is widely regarded by many as the very best.

Everywhere you look in City’s team, there is quality.

Even those who don’t play a great deal come in and give top performances, and it’s all down to the work of sporting director Txiki Begiristain and the recruitment team.

Without their brilliance, City would be nowhere near as successful as they are.

Txiki and his staff have brought many wonderful players to the Etihad Stadium over the years – with Julian Alvarez certainly in that category…

100 games up, Julian Alvarez has proven to be a top signing for Manchester City

On Saturday against Wolves, Julian Alvarez ran out onto the pitch in a Manchester City shirt for the 100th time in a competitive setting since signing for the club from River Plate for around £14 million.

Alvarez joined the club in the same window as Erling Haaland, and many felt that he would be mostly playing second fiddle to the Norwegian.

But that hasn’t really been the case.

Sure in his first season, he did have to be a bit patient, especially in the beginning. But he finished season one with 49 appearances to his name, scoring 17 goals and making five assists. He played 2524 minutes in total.

This term though, Alvarez has gained more prominence at City, with the injury to Kevin De Bruyne very much opening the door for him. So far, he’s made 51 appearances for a total of 3437 minutes. Only six of his teammates have played more minutes up to now.

Alvarez has scored 18 goals and made 13 assists, and his 31 contributions put him third in the squad behind only Haaland and Phil Foden.

Earlier this season, Pep Guardiola called Alvarez ‘an extraordinary player’, and the World Cup winner has most definitely taken his game to another level.

Granted, there have been some games where he hasn’t been very effective. At times he’s had to play on the left, and sometimes he has operated very deep and just hasn’t had an impact.

But by and large, Alvarez has had a very strong campaign, and will have contributed significantly if City do end the season with a couple of trophies.

£14m for Alvarez was a total bargain

Reportedly, City paid River Plate £14 million to sign Alvarez, and La Araña has rather made a mockery of that fee 100 games later.

There was always a good chance the £100,000-a-week ace was going to look like a bargain considering he arrived with a reputation as being one of the most exciting young players in Argentina.

But few City fans could really have anticipated this kind of start to life at the Etihad coming in at the same time as Haaland.

To have scored or assisted 53 goals in 100 appearances is very impressive going – and the exciting thing is the start of his peak is still around three or four years away yet.

There is a feeling that, eventually, Haaland will leave City and most likely sign for Real Madrid, given there have been constant links. Thankfully, City already have Alvarez to step in as the main striker once he leaves.

Or if the plan is to sign a new striker, then we have seen how effective Alvarez can still be.

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