River Plate have lined up Manchester Unitd striker Edinson Cavani to replace Jorge Alvarez.

Alvarez is set to sign for Manchester City in the coming days.

And with the Argentine outfit able to meet the majority of £250,000-a-week Cavani's personal demands, that will see him leave Old Trafford after 18 months as a cult figure, says The Sun.

Ironically it is City's move for the highly-rated Alvarez – who United were also interested in - which has left River needing a new attacker for next season.

Pep Guardiola has a deal in place which allows the 21-year-old stay in Argentina for the rest of the campaign.

But when he moves to the Premier League, Cavani will head in the opposite direction, ending a short but hugely popular season-and-a-half at United.

He initially intended to go back to South America in the summer, before eventually choosing to stay in Manchester for another 12 months.

River had inquired about a loan move this month, as did Barcelona, while Boca Juniors actually prepared an offer.

But that got short shrift from Old Trafford bosses, especially when Anthony Martial moved to Sevilla for the rest of the season.

With Cavani, 34, out of contract in the summer, there is nothing to stop him leaving the club – yet he will do so as one of the most popular short-term signings in United's history.