The truth behind a surprising goodbye

Julián Álvarez’s departure from Manchester City stunned many. A World Cup champion, a key piece in the 2022/23 treble, and one of the most versatile attackers in Europe… and yet, after two seasons, he chose a new path.

Now, speaking on the Fundación José Ramón de la Morena podcast, the Argentine finally opened up about what pushed him to leave the Etihad — and how his relationship with Pep Guardiola shaped the exit.

Álvarez made it clear from the start: there was no conflict, no friction, and no drama.

“There was never any kind of problem,” he said. “I simply told him how I felt — that I wanted more minutes in some matches where I knew I wouldn’t get them, or simply wasn’t getting them.”

For the striker, the issue was purely professional: he wanted a bigger role, more responsibility, and more protagonism.

Pep Guardiola’s reaction — and the freedom he gave

Álvarez also revealed that Guardiola understood him completely.

“Of course he understood,” he explained. “Players always want more minutes, they want to grow, they want to play the big moments. And if I felt I wasn’t going to have them there, he gave me the freedom to choose my path.”

Those words paint a vastly different picture from the usual departures from superclubs. Guardiola did not push him out — he empowered him.

Even more surprising: Pep still admires him deeply. The Argentine shared that the coach told people inside the club that he’d “love to still have him today.”

A sign of respect. A sign of affection. And a sign that the decision was mutual, calm, and honest.

A move motivated by ambition, not escape

For Álvarez, leaving Manchester City was not walking away from a giant — it was chasing his own ceiling. Competing with Erling Haaland meant fewer minutes, fewer starts, and fewer chances to define matches in the way he wanted.

He is young, ambitious, and entering the prime of his career. Guardiola recognized that. And Álvarez appreciates the foundation the coach built for him.

He credits Manchester City — and Pep — for accelerating his growth:

“I learned so much there. I improved in every aspect. I’m grateful for everything.”

A respectful farewell with a new challenge ahead

In the end, Julián Álvarez’s story at Manchester City didn’t end in tension — it ended in mutual respect. A young star searching for more protagonism, and a legendary coach who understood that ambition.

Now, as he takes on his next chapter, Álvarez leaves behind not a problem… but a legacy:
a treble won, a fanbase that admired him, and a manager who would gladly have kept him.

His journey continues — but the truth behind his departure is finally clear.