Rodri Endorses Julian Alvarez for Barcelona
Rodri has barely unpacked his bags in Barcelona, but he already knows exactly who he wants alongside him at Camp Nou: Julian Alvarez.
The Spain international, freshly arrived from Manchester, has been open about his admiration for his former team-mate. He sees Alvarez not just as a luxury signing, but as the kind of forward who could instantly elevate Barca’s attack.
Alvarez’s name dominated the summer rumour mill. He was linked with a string of European giants, with Barca and Real Madrid both circling. Atletico Madrid, though, dug in. Letting their star man join a direct La Liga rival was a step too far, even in a market where almost everything has a price.
Arsenal also explored the possibility of bringing the Argentina international back to the Premier League. The answer, according to reports, was simple: no. Alvarez had no appetite for a return to England. His future, for now, remains in Spain and in red and white.
Rodri, who shared a dressing room with Alvarez for two seasons in the Premier League, has seen the full range of his talent at close quarters. Asked by Mundo Deportivo if he would like to see the forward in Blaugrana colours, he didn’t bother hiding his enthusiasm.
“Would I sign him here? Of course,” Rodri said. “I think he is a sensational player. I would take him here without hesitation. I had the chance to play with him for two years, and I think he is an incredible player, truly incredible.”
Those aren’t the words of a polite former colleague. That is a full-throated endorsement.
Rodri didn’t stop at goals and finishing. He underlined what coaches value most in the modern game: intelligence and versatility. Alvarez first made his name as a classic No 9, the penalty-box predator. Since then, he has stretched his game in every direction.
“He has almost played more often as a number 10 than as a number 9, even though he initially came from a number 9 position,” Rodri explained. “But he has also adapted to a role where he can play as an attacking midfielder, a playmaker, and he has even played matches as a central midfielder. He is truly a spectacular player.”
That tactical flexibility is exactly what makes him so attractive to a club like Barca, who constantly ask their forwards to rotate, drop, create and press. A striker who can lead the line one week, knit play between the lines the next, and still threaten goal at every turn is rare. Rodri knows it. So do the scouts.
For now, Atletico hold the cards. Alvarez, 26, has started the new Liga campaign in Diego Simeone’s plans, already logging a pair of appearances. Simeone will lean heavily on his firepower if Atletico are to mount a genuine title push and disrupt the usual duopoly.
Yet Rodri’s praise will only add fuel to a fire that never really goes out. Barca are constantly scanning the market for top-tier attacking reinforcements, always looking for the next big move. If Alvarez keeps delivering in Madrid, how long before admiration turns into a concrete bid?
