Pep Guardiola asks for Real Madrid star as part of swap deal to allow Julian Alvarez to join Los Blancos: Reports

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has earmarked Real Madrid attacker Rodrygo Goes as a possible candidate in a swap deal for Julian Alvarez. According to Catalan outlet Nacional, Guardiola is an admirer of the Brazilian winger.

This comes after the Argentine star expressed unhappiness with his playing time at the Etihad. He did feature in 54 games last season, scoring 19 goals and setting up 13 more. However, the presence of Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and others has rendered him as a secondary option for the Premier League champions.

The report claims that the player has also generated interest from Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, while Chelsea and Arsenal are also rumored to be in the running. However, the La Liga sides could find it difficult to match City's asking price, while they may shy away from sending Alvarez to another Premier League team.

For Real Madrid, Rodrygo could find his playing time reduced. Similar to Alvarez, he was one of Los Blancos' most-used players, bagging 17 goals and nine assists in 51 games. However, the arrivals of Kylian Mbappe and Endrick could see the 23-year-old take a lesser role in the front-line.

Despite this, Carlo Ancelotti is believed to be a firm believer in the Brazilian and it remains to be seen if the La Liga champions will let go of him.

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Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti opens up on future in management

Ancelotti suggested he might leave management.

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti suggested that his current job with Los Blancos could be his last. The Italian also claimed that he did not prefer managing national teams.

Speaking on the Obi One podcast (via ESPN), he said:

"I think this will be my last club," Ancelotti said.

"If there is an opportunity for a national team, I don't know. I'm not so excited at coaching a national team because I would lose what I like most, the day-to-day. I really enjoy what I'm doing.

"This is my season number 29 as a coach. It's true that I have won a lot but imagine the number of titles I lost."

He is one of the most illustrious managers in the sport's history, taking the reins at multiple top clubs including AC Milan, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, and Paris Saint-Germain.

He led Real Madrid to a double last season, winning La Liga and the Champions League. The 65-year-old's current deal with the side extends until the summer of 2026.