Moving from Buenos Aires at just 22, the striker has settled in the very different surroundings of northern England incredibly quickly.
Now 23, Alvarez has already had an impact in his first campaign at the Etihad Stadium but so far his season will be best remembered for partnering Lionel Messi as Argentina achieved World Cup glory in December.
Now the striker has a new Manchester City contract to reflect his growing status within Pep Guardiola’s squad.
Here we’ll take a look at Alvarez’s numbers since he arrived in Manchester last summer…
33 City appearances
The Argentine has played 20 times in the Premier League, starting on six occasions. During those 20 appearances, he has amassed 738 minutes on the pitch at an average of almost 37 minutes per game.
City have won five of the six matches in which Alvarez has started in the Premier League. In all but one of those matches, our No.19 has partnered Erling Haaland up top.
In seven Champions League appearances, he has started four times whereas he has started twice in the FA Cup. He also played twice in the Carabao Cup and came on as a substitute in the Community Shield last July.
Ten goals
Alvarez has scored five times in the Premier League. He got under way with a brace against Nottingham Forest in August before clinical strikes against Fulham, Spurs and Bournemouth.
All five of those goals have come from inside the box and from just 12 shots on target.
His two goals in the Champions League have come in the group stage rout of Copenhagen and then the impressive comeback against Sevilla, a rare left-footed finish from our man.
A goal in the Community Shield and one in each of the FA Cup and Carabao Cup victories over Chelsea completes his record so far.
Three assists
Alvarez’s link-up play was a key element of his game at River Plate and what made him such a good foil for Messi in Qatar.
He’s often been combined with Erling Haaland when he has started for City, requiring both men to get involved heavily in the buildup.
While he has created nine chances in the Premier League, he is yet to pick up his first assist.
He laid two on a plate for team-mates in the Champions League meeting with Sevilla in which he also scored and picked up another against Bristol City recently.
Seven games, four goals at the World Cup
Our No.19 was No.9 for La Albiceleste at football’s biggest tournament.
Alvarez was expected to be important going into the event but few could have predicted quite the impact he would have. In the end, he was the perfect partner for guaranteed pick Messi.
He had played for his national team just 12 times before the World Cup and made late substitute appearances in the first two group games. From that moment, he was first choice.
Goals against Poland and Australia in the final group stage match and Round of 16 respectively helped his side on their way but it was his two strikes in the semi-final with Croatia that are most memorable.
