AGUERO HOPING TO BE FIT FOR WORLD CUP BID

SERGIO AGUERO could miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a knee injury, although the Manchester City striker is likely to be fit in time to link up with the Argentina squad ahead of the World Cup.

Argentina are one of the favourites to win the tournament, having lost to Germany in the final four years ago. They launch their campaign against Iceland on June 16, before further group games against Croatia and Nigeria.

Having seen City win the Premier League with five games to spare at the weekend, the 29-year-old has decided to have the operation in order to give him time to recover.

Aguero has been troubled by the problem in his left knee for several weeks and was unable to contribute properly as City tumbled out of the Champions League, missing the first-leg defeat by Liverpool and only making the bench for the return fixture.

Meanwhile, City have been cleared of breaching transfer rules around the signing of an Argentinian teenager. City were at risk of a two-window transfer embargo after being accused by Velez Sarsfield, the Argentinian club, of flouting regulations in the signing of attacking midfielder Benjamin Garre in 2016. But the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) announced yesterday Velez’s claim had been dismissed more than nine months after the landmark court case was heard, clearing the way for Pep Guardiola to further strengthen his squad. Velez had claimed City acted unethically by approaching Garre when he was still 15 and then broke rules by signing the attacking midfielder days after his 16th birthday. Fifa had upheld City’s argument that Garre was free to join after his 16th birthday because he holds an Italian passport, but Velez alleged Fifa rules allow only players under 18 to move between clubs in Europe. (© Daily Telegraph, London)