Sergio Aguero
New chapter in career of Manchester City’s record goalscorer
At the end of April, the Premier League launched its official Hall of Fame. The first inductees were record goalscorer Alan Shearer and four-time Golden Boot winner Thierry Henry, with a further 23 players shortlisted to be included next, inevitably triggering various debates and discussions about who deserved to be there.
One month earlier, Sergio Aguero announced that he would depart Manchester City at the end of the season. While the 33-year-old will not be eligible for the Hall of Fame until he retires, he can surely expect a call-up when he does finally hang up his boots. He has scored more goals in the competition than Henry, has a better strike rate than Shearer, and won more league titles than both of the legends put together. He is the highest-scoring foreign player in the league’s history, while each of the three players ahead of him in the all-time scoring charts played over 100 more games than the Argentina striker.
And it’s not just the numbers: Aguero delivered arguably the most iconic moment in Premier League history with his title-winning strike against QPR in 2012. How much more Hall of Fame can you get?
His time in England has often seen him labelled as a poacher or penalty-box specialist, a tag that he particularly had to challenge when Pep Guardiola arrived in 2016. Rumours persisted that the player would be culled from the new manager’s plans, but he worked hard to make sure that he could continue to be effective in his team. Three of his four most prolific seasons have come under the Catalan’s guidance.
In 2020-21, injuries greatly restricted his appearances, as did Guardiola’s decision to switch to a striker-less formation in several big games. With his contract ending, 2021 was absolutely the right time for his departure. By scoring twice in the 5-0 thrashing of Everton in front of 10,000 returning fans, he was given the perfect send-off.
Rumours had abounded for months about his next destination. Internazionale initially appeared to lead the chase, while his first club Independiente still harbour hopes of one day bringing their former prodigy back to Avellaneda.
At one point, it was suggested that the striker’s ambition to break the Premier League goalscoring record could tempt him into joining Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, or perhaps even his fellow Argentine Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds United.
Ultimately though, the Argentina reunion that always looked the most likely was the one with his international team-mate and room-mate, Lionel Messi. Shortly after playing his final Premier League game, Aguero
Aguero delivered arguably the most iconic moment in Premier League history...against QPR in 2012
announced that he had signed a two-year deal at Barcelona.
In some ways, it is surprising that Aguero hasn’t come closer to joining one of the two Spanish giants before. Since he left Atletico Madrid in 2011, any gossip linking him with Barcelona or Real Madrid has been largely speculative, testament to how settled he has been in Manchester. Indeed, critics of Barcelona’s recent transfer policy might point out that it is rather typical of the club to sign a player that they should have moved for some years ago.
More than anything, the move seems to be a reaction to the Luis Suarez fiasco of last summer, when the Uruguayan was sold to La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid for a cut-price deal, only for El Pistolero to go on and fire his new side to the title. Not only did the sale cost Barca the league it also alienated Messi, with Suarez his closest confidante in the squad.
Consequently, Barca have turned
to another prolific South American striker in his 30s, who is also a close friend and ally of Messi’s.
Will signing Aguero be enough to appease Messi? Certainly the rumours of his departure have quietened since last summer’s saga, although he is still – at the time of writing – yet to sign a new deal. On the pitch, it is hard to see the two Argentine forwards providing the energy and pressing ability to return Barca to the top of European football, although early reports suggest that Aguero will be a squad player, essentially replacing Denmark forward Martin Braithwaite in the pecking order.
Where the signing leaves Barca’s other expensive misfits – Antoine Griezmann, Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele – remains to be seen. The task of accommodating them alongside Messi and Aguero, as well as another potential arrival Memphis Depay, plus rising young stars Ansu Fati, Francisco Trincao and Pedri will be a headache for any head coach, be it Ronald Koeman or anyone else.
Nevertheless, in a summer where spending is expected to be reduced, signing a player of Aguero’s pedigree without paying a transfer fee could prove to be shrewd business.
Jamie Evans