Manchester City battling Liverpool for River Plate sensation following Julian Alvarez exit | OneFootball

Manchester City are in the race to sign River Plate and Argentinian starlet Ian Subiabre, who is also attracting interest from Anfield, as per a new report.

City make a statement of intent in the recent transfer window in the backdrop of a sub-par 2024-25 season, adding seven new names to Pep Guardiola’s first-team ranks and conducting a mass exodus from the squad that fell short of expectations last season.

Hugo Viana’s appointment as Manchester City’s director of football was followed with the acquisitions of Rayan Ait-Nouri, Marcus Bettinelli, Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki, Sverre Nypan, James Trafford and Gianluigi Donnarumma.

City also parted ways with a host of long-serving stars, with Kevin De Bruyne, Scott Carson and Kyle Walker moved on and the trio of James McAtee, Ilkay Gundogan and Ederson allowed to leave for regular playing opportunities.

Jack Grealish and Manuel Akanji were amongst several players who departed on season-long loans as Viana and co streamlined Guardiola’s squad and recruited fresh, young blood to get Manchester City back to challenging for major trophies.

City made a stuttering start to their 2025-26 season and dropped to the bottom half of the Premier League table courtesy of successive defeats to Tottenham and Brighton in their opening trio of league games.

Guardiola and co are undergoing a period of transition on the pitch and have been dragged out of their early season slump by Erling Haaland, whose goals have single-handedly catapulted Manchester City firmly back into the title conversation.

Haaland’s goals will dry up at some point – Guardiola is aware – as the Manchester City boss doubles down on his wide attackers and midfielders alleviating the growing burden on the 25-year-old’s shoulders – with the Norwegian shouldering the entirety of City’s goalscoring responsibility since Julian Alvarez left for Atletico Madrid last summer.

TBR Football are reporting that Manchester City are in the race to sign River Plate and Argentinian winger Ian Subiabre, who has attracted widespread interest from elite clubs across the Premier League and Europe.

City have a very strong relationship with River Plate – having secured the arrivals of Alvarez and Claudio Echeverri from the south American outfit in recent seasons – which could make them frontrunners in the battle for Subiabre, who is also being monitored by Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Atletico Madrid and Juventus.

Guardiola has been dissatisfied with the attacking output from his wingers of late, with Haaland having to bail Manchester City time and again this season – raising huge concerns over an inevitable downturn in form coming when City’s talisman plateaus.

That concern could push Manchester City in the January 2026 market for reinforcements in attack as the Blues look to challenge for major trophies after a disappointing 2024-25 campaign wherein they finished third in the Premier League and exited the UEFA Champions League at the Round of 16 stage.