Why Liverpool will SHATTER their transfer record for Julian Alvarez

Anfield Watch understands Liverpool are massive fans of Julian Alvarez. Here's why they'd break their transfer record to sign him.

Anfield Watch exclusively revealed on Friday evening that Liverpool want to sign Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid. The Reds actually tried to pick him up from Manchester City last summer.

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That one didn't go through, with City wanting Luis Diaz as a part of the deal. The two clubs couldn't decide on valuations and when Atletico jumped in with the full asking price, off Alvarez went.

All that's happened since, however, is a complete solidifying of Liverpool's belief that the Argentinian is an elite striker. The Reds liked him at River Plater, loved him at City and now they're convinced he's a forward who would work flawlessly for them.

Whether Atletico are willing to sell is another matter entirely, of course. It's certainly not a transfer that would be remotely simple to do and Alvarez would cost far, far more than he did last summer.

So why are Liverpool still interested?

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Why Liverpool want Julian Alvarez

Alvarez essentially ticks the exact boxes that Liverpool want out of a striker. Perhaps the only thing you could ask for is to be a bit more of a physical presence but now we're just getting picky.

Alvarez is a runner. He's high-energy, and aggressive with his pressing and he doesn't mind shifting across the entire pitch to do it.

This, of course, is a hallmark of Liverpool's game. Arne Slot wants his team to press relentlessly in most games and to do it intelligently.

The 25-year-old is brilliant at it. He's so good at it, in fact, that it earned him a starting place for his country when they won the World Cup in 2022.

Alvarez was the one who led the line, allowing Angel Di Maria and Lionel Messi to drift more. His pressing was so intense and his movement so good that those two were able to take a much, much-reduced portion of the defensive shift.

It was something that worked beautifully at the World Cup - but plugging that into a team with other high-pressers is a perfect recipe. Liverpool are certainly that.

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And Alvarez's pressing and energy is where you have to start. If a striker doesn't do that, Liverpool aren't interested - he's not going to be on the shortlist.

He's 95th percentile across major competitions for tackles in the attacking third as an attacker. 95th for challenging dribblers, 97th for tackles won and 92nd for passes blocked.

Alvarez is unquestionably a brilliant defensive forward. Exactly what Liverpool hope for in their attack

The Argentine certainly offers more than that, though.

He passes the ball incredibly well (96th percentile for completed passes) and tries dangerous passes, too (92nd percentile for passes into the penalty area). But the forward is also happy to run with the ball - 90th percentile for progressive carries.

And these are just the underlying numbers. It's without considering the fact Alvarez scored seven times in the UEFA Champions League this season and has another 10 in La Liga.

So essentially, Alvarez is a high-pressing, energetic forward who's versatile in his play, consistently looks for ways to move the ball forward quickly and scores goals. That's why Liverpool might break their transfer record to sign him.

The forward is what they want. He's not patient and he's not 'specialised' - Alvarez is instead the embodiment of what Liverpool want their attack to be.

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