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Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero will leave the club this summer after a captivating 10 years at the Etihad.
Cherished by City fans and football enthusiasts across the world, Aguero is well and truly a star of the game and one of the most decorated and valued footballers to wear the blue shirt of Manchester.
Joining City in 2011, the Argentine made an immediate impression on his debut, scoring a brace and turning provider in a thirty-minute cameo in a 4-0 win over Swansea City. It was certainly a dramatic and exciting performance that gave a taster of what was to follow.
Aguero holds the title of City’s record goalscorer surpassing, Eric Brook’s 78-year record, scoring in a 4-2 away win against Napoli in 2017. One of which being that infamous 94th-minute winner against Queens Park Rangers, which clinched City’s first-ever Premier League title (2011/12 season), from the hands of noisy neighbours Manchester United.
He’s played a prominent role in the club’s silverware collection, winning four Premier League titles, one FA Cup and five League Cups, with the opportunity to clinch four more trophies in his final months at the Etihad.
So far in his City reign, he has accumulated an astonishing 257 goals in 384 appearances. In a statement on his social media page, he said:
“A huge sense of satisfaction and pride remains in me for having played with Manchester City for a whole 10 seasons – unusual for a professional player in this day and age.
“Ten seasons with major achievement, throughout which I was able to become the top historic goalscorer and forging an indestructible bond with all those who love this club – people who will always be in my heart.
“I was to join during the reconstruction era of 2011, and with the guidance of the owners and the contribution of many players, we earned a place among the greatest in the world.
“The task to maintain this well-deserved privileged position will remain on others.
“As for myself, I will continue to give it my utmost for the rest of the season to win more titles and bring more joy to the fans.
“Then, a new stage with new challenges will begin and I am fully ready to face them with the same passion and professionalism that I have always dedicated to continue competing at the highest level.
He is widely considered as one of the greatest players of the Premier League era and earning the title of the competition’s most clinical goalscorer in terms of goals scored per minutes played.
The former Atletico Madrid star has scored one goal for every 108 minutes of football played in the Premier League, which abodes him at the top of the ‘minutes per goal’ table, ahead of second-placed Arsenal legend Thierry Henry (every 122 minutes).
Undeniably, he is the highest-scoring international player in Premier League history – and in January 2020 he overhauled Newcastle United legend, Alan Shearer to set the record for the most premier league hat-tricks (12).
Manchester City chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak has disclosed that a statue of the City striker has been commissioned to honour his legacy, alongside former teammates and legends David Silva and Vincent Kompany as well as the installation of dedicated and permanent mosaic at the City Football Academy. The City chairman said:
“Sergio’s contribution to Manchester City over the last 10 years cannot be overstated. His legend will be indelibly etched into the memories of everyone who loves the Club and maybe even in those who simply love football.”
So, where next for the 32-year-old?
Available on a free transfer in the summer, Aguero represents what could be one of the best free transfers of the summer.
Marca have said that European giants Barcelona, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain have all expressed an interest; with the coronavirus pandemic hitting hard financially, getting him to sign the dotted line could be momentous.
The Spanish giants are still hopeful they’ll persuade Lionel Messi to remain with the club and if so, the six-time Ballon d’Or winner could help lure his fellow countryman to Camp Nou.
Meanwhile, according to Gazzetta dello Sport, it is believed that Juventus are also in the running, with the Italian club wanting someone to partner Cristiano Ronaldo. However, the Italian giants are also said to be targeting Moise Kean and Arkadiusz Milik.
Elsewhere, French Ligue 1 leaders, Paris Saint-Germain are also said to be interested as Mundo Deportivo report that former Tottenham Hotspur manager, Mauricio Pochettino is said to be keen on bringing the striker to the Parc des Princes.
So, will Aguero return to Spain, will the Argentine presence of Pochettino lure him to the French capital, will he leave Manchester for Turin, or, will he go elsewhere?
