Julian Alvarez is heading to Manchester City with a ‘full agreement’ in place and an announcement set to follow, according to River Plate president Jorge Brito.
The 21-year-old has been heavily linked with City this month, having racked up an impressive 36 goals and 25 assists in 96 appearances for the Argentine champions.
City will pay around £17.9m for his services, with Alvarez set to remain on loan at River Plate until July.
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According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, Brito said: “We’ve a full agreement with Manchester City to sell Julian. The deal is done.
“He’s going to stay on loan here at River Plate until July 7.”
Alvarez, who turns 22 on Monday, is capable of playing on the wing but his preference is to play through the middle, an area in which City have been short following the decline and subsequent departure of Sergio Aguero.
Having netted 24 times in 46 appearances last season, he is renowned as a serial goalscorer. In July, he made his debut for the Argentina national team.
Both Manchester United and Newcastle expressed a strong interest in Alvarez, but he felt he could best continue his development at City, under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola.
In what has become a double blow to United, Alvarez’s move will likely the pave the way for Edinson Cavani’s transfer to River Plate, with the Argentine club now able to accommodate the striker’s wage demands.
Cavani has been heavily linked with a move back to South America after reports last month suggested he was “unhappy” in Manchester.
Ralf Rangnick, though, has insisted Cavani will remain at the club until the end of the season, following an honest discussion with the Uruguayan earlier this month.
“I told him [Cavani] that if it was up to me I would want him to stay and I had a conversation with him,” the United interim boss revealed.
“He came to my office and we spoke for almost half an hour and he told me that he will definitely stay, he will want to stay until the end of the season.
“Not only because I told him that he should stay or has to stay, but he did it on his own behalf.”
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