Who will succeed Sergio Aguero at Manchester City?

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Sergio Aguero’s 10 year spell at Manchester City will come to an end this summer, so who will replace the prolific Argentine?

The 32-year-old’s departure will mark the end of an era for City, as they say goodbye to not only their all-time top goalscorer, but the player that transformed the dynamic of the club since his arrival back in 2011.

Before joining the blue side of Manchester in a deal worth around £35 million from Atletico Madrid, City were yet to establish themselves at title contenders under their new owners, However, Aguero was the marquee-signing which they had been looking for, someone who could lead the line for years to come and fire the club to their first Premier League crown.

His impact was almost immediate, scoring 30 goals and claiming 12 assists during his first season, including his iconic winner against Queens Park Rangers on the final day to ensure City beat Manchester United to the title. Following this moment, his influence only continued to grow as he became an integral asset under every manager, and eventually went onto surpass Eric Brook to become the club’s leading marksman.

Aguero will leave as City’s most decorated player, having won the Premier League on four occasions, the League Cup five times and the FA Cup once, with the potential to add up to four more this campaign. Add 257 goals in 384 appearances to that and you have a players that is near impossible to replace, but who are the leading candidates to do so?

Erling Haaland

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Haaland has swiftly established himself as one of the best strikers in world football, exploding onto the scene with Red Bull Salzburg, followed by his whirlwind 14 months at Borussia Dortmund in which he became the youngest and quickest player to reach 20 Champions League goals.

Reports surrounding his release clause are conflicting, with some suggesting different valuations and that it also doesn’t apply until 2022. One aspect that is certain, is if City are to lure him away from the Signal Iduna Park this summer, it would cost them in the region of £100 million upwards, but they would have a player that they can build a team around for the next decade.

The 20-year-old would bring a different dimension to Pep Guardiola’s side compared to Aguero, as a result of his ability to not only run in behind, but to provide height and presence through the middle. His combination of lethal finishing, tenacity and reading of attacking scenarios make him perfectly suited to thrive in any system and cope with the demands of Premier League football.

So far for Dortmund, the Norwegian international has bagged 49 goals and 11 assists in 49 games, an incredible feat of consistency showed by someone so young and only proves why he’s rated as one of the hottest prospects around.

Undoubtedly, he will not be short of interest when the transfer window opens with Barcelona meeting the Norwegian Strikers’ representatives, but with his father Alf-Inge playing for the club during the early 2000’s, could it still mean Haaland follows in his footsteps?

Harry Kane

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Although Tottenham have no desire to sell their star man, speculation surrounding Kane’s long-term future is increasing, and there’s no question that City will be assessing the Englishman as a potential option. Jose Mourinho’s men look likely to miss out on Champions League football for next season, which may make the task of keeping him even more challenging.

The 27-year-old has been set a £150 million valuation, which may seem like a lot, but he is already a proven goalscorer in England and is one of the best strikers in the world entering the prime of his career.

Over the past season, Kane has evolved as a striker due to his willingness to drop deep and receive the ball in order to bring his teammates into the game, which is shown by him leading the assist charts in the Premier League this season.

This adaptation hasn’t come at the cost of goals either, with him sitting joint top in this statistic as well, while playing in a team that doesn’t create half as many chances that City do. Bringing him to the club would give Guardiola many different options, as Kane is able to be deployed in a false nine position, to link-up the play and allow runners in behind or as an out and out striker.

Despite all the positives to this move for City, there are a few question marks that could sway their decision towards someone slightly younger. Kane turns 28 in the summer and even though he wouldn’t require any adjustment period, it’s a huge investment for someone that could only give the club four to five years service while  at their best.

If he was to stay at Tottenham next season, there’s a chance that he would never get a move away, due to potential suitors being reluctant to pay over the odds for a player approaching their 30’s. So will Kane look to push for a move to City as his desire to win trophies finally takes over?

Lautaro Martinez

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Perhaps the best way to replace Aguero would be to do so with another prolific Argentine? Martinez has notched 14 goals and eight assists in 27 Serie A games this campaign, as his formidable partnership with Romelu Lukaku is on course to fire Inter to their first title in over 10 years.

The 23-year-old’s profile is very similar to Aguero, in the sense that they share a low centre of gravity, which contributes to their ability to keep the ball in close proximity when dribbling. They also base their style off clever movement in and around the penalty area, a trait that all elite goalscorer’s must possess, and are both deceptively strong and competent in attacking aerial situations.

Although parts of Martinez’s game aren’t as refined as Aguero, he has the attributes to become a similar type of striker, with time on his side in order to do so. Under Guardiola’s guidance there’s no doubt that he would improve aspects such as hold and link up play, while also becoming more efficient in front of goal, in a team that would create multiple chances for him every game.

Reports suggest that Martinez is content in Milan at the moment and is likely to sign a new contract in the coming months, but when presented with the opportunity to succeed one of the best Premier League strikers of all-time, who is also his fellow compatriots may prove too enticing to turn down.

It appears City have three options in the summer, the first is to continue with the squad they’ve got and play without a natural striker, the other is to promote Gabriel Jesus to starter or the last is to bring in a big name. If they are to do the latter, which player would be best suited to replace Aguero?

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