The Argentine is a very versatile forward: his natural position is as a striker, but he can play as a midfielder or winger.
Beyond his scoring numbers, he is above all a facilitator; a player who makes his teammates better
Barça is very attentive to Julián Álvarez. The Argentine striker for City is a footballer that Xavi likes very much, who sees in him qualities that fit with what he wants from a center forward for his Barça.
With Argentina and City he has confirmed the words that Gallardo dedicated to him when he was one of River’s great promises: “Julian is quality, generosity and mischief”. The phrase, which has very hackneyed adjectives in football, offers in this case a precise portrait of what Julián Álvarez does on a football field.
But, How would he fit into Xavi’s Barça? First of all, it should be noted that Julián Álvarez is above all a ‘9’ but he is not just that. We are talking about a forward who stands out for his decision making; an intuitive but intelligent striker, capable of adding positive things to any team when he does not score.
Beyond his relationship with the goal, Julián is above all a facilitator. Few footballers enhanced Messi so much in the last World Cup. Because the City striker constantly draws passing lines with frenetic activity in any position of the attack. At this point in his career, Messi needs that more than ever: activity in front of the ball and in that Julián Álvarez is top.
That is why it is not difficult to imagine him playing in Lewandowski’s position at Barça.. A footballer like Julián Álvarez would make players like Joao Félix and Lamine Yamal better. Barça needs players who are aggressive without the ball and the coaches seem to be clear about this with signings like Vitor Roque. But Julián Álvarez can’t only play as a striker.
At City he is accompanying Haaland in many games. Nothing strange because his qualities also adapt to the position of midfielder, from that position he takes advantage of a very precise first touch and his dynamism. In Barça this position does not exist exactly, although the closest thing is the left vertex of the square.a role that both Gavi and Joao Félix have played since he joined.
At City they have also tested him as a right winger, a position to which he can adapt, although he is not a player with many resources to unbalance statically from the wing. Barça has been looking at City players for years, in the case of Julián, it is one of the most special forwards in the world.