Julian Alvarez receives message from Pep Guardiola over what to expect upon Manchester City return

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has informed Julian Alvarez of what to expect upon his return to the City Football Academy later this summer.

The Argentine striker is now taking on his long-awaited summer holidays having taken part in back-to-back international tournaments with his country this summer, competing at Copa America and the Olympics in Paris.

Involvement at national team level has also coincided with rumours concerning his Manchester City future, and a supposed desire to take on the role of leading striker at a top European club this summer.

However, with full focus on events with Argentina this summer, little progress has been made concerning Alvarez’s club future until this weekend, when City formally entered into negotiations with Atletico Madrid over a possible deal for the player.

Speaking in light of growing transfer rumours surrounding the Argentine striker this weekend, Pep Guardiola stated, “I’m sure when he comes back (to Manchester City) I’ll congratulate for Copa (America), and we start to work together. He is our player. I count on him.”

Whilst Guardiola insisted he has “nothing to say” on rumours of talks with Atletico Madrid over the 24-year-old, he continued, “He’s our player and coming back soon. When he comes back I’ll hug him and congratulate him on Copa America and we’ll talk about the Olympics.”

It remains to be seen whether either of Atletico Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain will be able to get close to Manchester City’s €90 million valuation of Julian Alvarez this summer, but the Premier League champions will not stand in the player’s way should either club do so.

Manchester City have completed their pre-season tour of the United States with most of their first-team stars missing as a result of the extended season through the European Championships in Germany.

The large share of Pep Guardiola’s first-team mainstays are expected to be reunited with the rest of the squad on Monday, as Manchester City take their preparations for the new season over to the City Football Academy.

It is understood that Guardiola and his Manchester City tour squad will leave the United States from Columbus, Ohio late on Saturday night, arriving back in the north-west in the early hours of Sunday morning, before being granted time off to recover from cross-Atlantic travel.