Manchester City unwilling to sell Sergio Aguero even as the Argentine hints at exit

Pep Guardiola and Manchester City officials are adamant that Sergio Aguero will not be leaving the club in the summer even as the star striker hinted his Etihad exit

Manchester City have insisted to MEN Sport that Sergio Aguero will still be at the Etihad Stadium at the start of next season, as they remain adamant that their star striker will not be leaving the club in the summer despite the Argentine hinting that he could be on the way out.

Sergio Aguero’s Manchester City career is suddenly under a cloud after five years of being the team’s talisman with his unbelievably dangerous goalscoring exploits.

The diminutive striker has scored a staggering 113 goals for City in 168 appearances in the Premier League, alongside assisting 33 further goals for City, and has consistently been one of the top scorers in English top flight since moving to the Etihad Stadium.

However, the 2016/17 season has been one of struggles for Aguero, with Pep Guardiola demanding more from the star striker. To make matters worse, Gabriel Jesus’ quick acclimatisation in England has now seen Aguero being relegated to the bench.

It all started with the 4-0 demolition of West Ham at the London Stadium last week, with Jesus making his first start having been favoured over his South American senior. And Aguero was warming the bench yet again on Sunday as City hosted Swansea.

The match saw Jesus taking up the role that has become familiar for Aguero over the years, as he scored a late winner to lead City to a 2-1 win over the Swans, having already netted the opener in the game. In the aftermath of the match Aguero had thrown his City future up in the air, saying it was up to the club to decide if he had a place at the Etihad Stadium.

As reported by the Guardian, Aguero said: “In three years, my contract is up – that’s why I say I’m happy at the club. In these last three months that are left I have to help the club and, as I say, the club will decide if I have a place here or not.”

However, Pep Guardiola insisted that Aguero remained an important player in his squad as he said: “It is perfect, don’t worry about that. Of course he wants to play. It must not be easy. I understand that. But Sergio remains one of the most important players in our squad and [with] what we have to do, he will be so, so important.”

Sources at City also made it clear that the club wants Aguero to stay: “There is no vagueness about our position. We want Sergio to stay. Pep has repeatedly said he is an important player for us, and if Sergio is saying it is down to the club, well the club really wants him to stay. No-one here wants him to leave, and Pep has been explicit about that.”

Despite all the reaffirmations, doubts still remain over his future at Manchester City and with Chelsea joining long-time admirers Real Madrid in pursuit of the 28-year-old, it will be interesting to see if Aguero remains at Etihad beyond this season, or whether he chooses to move on from what is starting to look like a nightmare.