Julian Alvarez is wanted by Manchester United and Barcelona with Atletico Madrid demanding close to £100m and Marcus Rashford could be key in him moving to Old Trafford

Manchester United have reportedly joined the race to sign Atletico Madrid star Julian Alvarez, and a move for the Argentina international could play a massive role in Marcus Rashford’s future. Alvarez moved to Atletico in 2024 in a deal worth over £80million.

Since the switch, the 26-year-old has scored 41 goals in 91 games, and his form for Diego Simeone’s men has attracted interest from the Premier League. Arsenal and Chelsea are both said to be keen on signing Alvarez.

Before moving to Spain, the striker played 103 times for Manchester City and was a key part of Pep Guardiola’s team that won the treble in 2023.

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Despite spending big on centre-forwards last summer in Viktor Gyokeres, Joao Pedro and Liam Delap, both London clubs are being linked with a new striker in the summer transfer window. However, Spanish outlet Sport has reported that United have joined the race to bring Alvarez back to Manchester.

After splashing over £74m on Benjamin Sesko last summer, United aren’t expected to rule out a new striker with Joshua Zirkzee tipped with a move away and Rasmus Hojlund unlikely to be offered a lifeline.

The sticking point for United is that Alvarez’s preferred destination is reportedly Barcelona should he leave Atletico Madrid. Reports in Spain have suggested that a deal between the two La Liga rivals is seen as ‘extremely complicated’, with Alvarez’s current club believed to be demanding around £100m.

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While Atletico are keen on offering Alvarez on a new contract, United could make a huge statement by taking pole position. Michael Carrick has used Bryan Mbeumo as his first-choice striker in his first five games in charge, with Sesko proving to be a valuable player off the bench.

Mbeumo’s natural position is on the right, and having an elite striker who can play with the ball and link up would be instrumental. Fortunately, United have an advantage over Barcelona, and it could help them ship Rashford.

The forward has been excellent on loan at the Nou Camp, scoring 10 goals and assisting 13 so far. Barcelona have an option to sign him permanently for £26m, with it widely expected that they will trigger the clause at the end of the season.

The financial issues at Barca have been a recurring problem for them in the transfer market, making a move for Alvarez at nearly £100m difficult. With Champions League football hopefully returning to Old Trafford, United will be in a better position to meet Atleti’s asking price.

Rashford’s impressive campaign at Barcelona means Hansi Flick’s men will be planning for the 2026/27 season with the England international. His arrival, should all go ahead as planned, will deplete Barca’s available budget and drastically reduce their chances of landing Alvarez.

Chelsea and Arsenal are another kettle of fish. But with United back in the Champions League and a clear position for Alvarez to slot into at Old Trafford, it could be the golden ticket in his arrival.