"He reminds me of Bergkamp" - Martin Keown likens Manchester City superstar to Arsenal legend

Martin Keown has likened Manchester City attacker Julian Alvarez to Arsenal icon Dennis Bergkamp in a glowing verdict of the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner.

Alvarez has stepped out of Erling Haaland's shadow and has become one of City's standout performers this season. The Argentine youngster has bagged four goals and four assists in eight games across competitions. The 23-year-old was on song in the Cityzens' 3-1 comeback win against Red Star Belgrade in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday (September 19). He bagged a brace as his side started their defense of the European title with a win.

Alvarez followed that up with another captivating display in Manchester City's 2-0 win against Nottingham Forest yesterday (September 24). The Argentina international didn't score or assist but he was a constant nuisance for Forest defenders. He had two shots on target, won one of three ground duels, and completed 18 of 21 passes accurately.

The former former River Plate forward has made an fantastic start to the season and Keown has compared him to Arsenal legend Bergkamp. The former Gunners defender reckons he boasts the same positioning as his former teammate, saying (via Manchester Evening News):

"He reminds me of Bergkamp because he starts as a striker and just wanders into that position and you're wondering who will pick him up."

Bergkamp is deemed by many as one of the Premier League's most intelligent forwards in history. The iconic Dutchman bagged 119 goals and 98 assists in 417 games with the Gunners.

Known as 'The Iceman', Bergkamp found space behind defenses and used his impressive footballing IQ to cause havoc in and around the box. It's high praise for Alvarez to be likened to the Arsenal legend but Keown continued to say what he likes about the City star:

"His intelligence of movement where he wanders into that spot, always looking for space, always in the pocket and they always find him. He's always on the half-turn, ready to go, looking for the big man up top. He stretches the back line."

Alvarez joined Manchester City from River Plate in the summer of 2022 for £14 million. That fee looks a bargain given how he's shining with Pep Guardiola's treble winners.

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Arsenal were reportedly plotting a move for Manchester City star Julian Alvarez in the summer

Arsenal appear to admire Manchester City's young superstar.

According to El Nacional, Arsenal were showing interest in Alvarez during the summer amid his fine start to life at the Etihad. However, a potential pursuit of the Argentine didn't take place as he signed a new one-year extension on his contract with the reigning champions.

Alvarez is now tied to the Cityzens until 2028 and Guardiola's constant faith in him at the start of the season suggests he's going nowhere anytime soon. That's not to say that the Gunners wouldn't have been an ideal destination for the World Cup winner.

The Argentine forward could shine as the main focal point of Mikel Arteta's attack. He possesses similar attributes to Gabriel Jesus with his movement and eye for a goal. It's unlikely that Manchester City would have considered selling to last season's title arrivals.