"I will continue to support the club from wherever I am" - Julian Alvarez pens touching farewell message as he leaves Manchester City

Julian Alvarez has sent a touching farewell message as he leaves Manchester City after two years at Etihad Stadium. La Liga club Atlético Madrid confirmed signing the Argentine forward today on a six-year deal that will run until June 30, 2030.

After signing for the Spanish club, Julian Alvarez took to social media and shared a picture of himself wearing the Manchester City jersey on the pitch. He expressed his gratitude and thanked the entire team, staff, and fans in the caption, which read:

"Today I say goodbye to this wonderful club with a lot of emotions. They were two very special years. During this time, I grew and learned a lot as a player and as a person. To the directors and the technical staff, thank you for the trust and support. His teachings and vision helped me to develop in a great way. To my teammates, thank you for every moment shared, for the effort and dedication in every training and in every game."

"I learned so much from each of you and I carry with me memories and friendships that will last forever. To the fans, thank you from the bottom of my heart for the great support and for making me feel at home since day one. I will always be very proud to have been part of this family," added the 24-year-old.

Julian Alvarez concluded the post by writing:

"Manchester City will always have a special place in my heart. I wish them all the success in the future and will continue to support the club from wherever. THANK YOU VERY MUCH! 🩵"

Julian Alvarez joined Manchester City on a five-and-a-half-year contract in January 2022 from his boyhood club River Plate, where he was on loan until July 2022 as a part of the deal agreement. He recorded 36 goals and 18 assists in 103 appearances across all competitions for the Premier League giants.

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Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola on Julian Alvarez's replacement following the latter's departure

Prior to official announcements from either of the clubs or the player, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola opened up about Julian Alvarez and his then-potential exit from Etihad Stadium.

Ahead of his City's FA Community Shield clash against Manchester United on Saturday (August 10), Guardiola told the press (via @sistoney67 on X):

"[I have] gratitude for Julian. [We] won everything together. His impact has been massive. It is an incredible loss. But like I said many times, he wants to leave. Wish him all the best."

Speaking about a replacement for Alvarez, Pep Guardiola said (via @FabrizioRomano on X):

"We will see, we are discussing internally about it. It could happen or it could not happen, we will consider and see what to do."

Julian Alvarez has won the 2022–23 and 2023–24 Premier League titles, the 2022–23 FA Cup, the 2022–23 UEFA Champions League, the 2023 UEFA Super Cup and the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup during his time at Manchester City.

Julian Alvarez is the first-ever player to win the FIFA World Cup (with Argentina in 2022) and a continental treble in the same season.