Sergio Aguero: Manchester City striker to leave at end of season, with club to commission statue of him at the Etihad

Sergio Aguero, who joined Manchester City from Atletico Madrid in 2011, is the club’s record goalscorer; the Argentina international has scored 257 goals in 384 appearances for City; he will be honoured with a statue at the Etihad alongside Vincent Kompany and David Silva

By Zinny Boswell

Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero will leave the club at the end of the season when his contract expires.

City manager Pep Guardiola met Aguero, 32, on Monday to inform him of the club’s decision not to renew his deal after a season spent largely on the sidelines, with injuries and illness keeping him to only 14 appearances.

Aguero, who was signed from Atletico Madrid in 2011, was later told by City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak that he would be honoured with a statue at the Etihad Stadium, which will stand alongside those of his former team-mates David Silva and Vincent Kompany.

The Argentina international has helped City win four Premier League titles, an FA Cup, and five League Cups over his 10-year stay, with the club still chasing a quadruple this season.

Aguero is also City’s record goalscorer, with 257 goals in 384 appearances for the club, having surpassed Eric Brook’s 78-year record in 2017.

In a statement, Aguero said: “When a cycle comes to an end, many sensations arise.

“A huge sense of satisfaction and pride remains in me for having played with Manchester City for a whole ten seasons – unusual for a professional player this day and age.

“Ten seasons with major achievements, 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 contributions of many players, we earned a place among the greatest of 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.”

City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said: “It gives me great pleasure to announce that we will be commissioning an artist to create a statue of Sergio to live at the Etihad Stadium alongside the ones under construction for Vincent [Kompany] and David [Silva].

“We look forward to the opportunity to bid Sergio a fitting farewell at the end of the season.”

Tyler on Aguero’s most memorable City moment

Aguero’s most famous goal in a City shirt undoubtedly came when he clinched the club’s first league title for 44 years with the last kick of the 2011/12 season.

His stoppage-time winner against QPR was enough to pip rivals United to the Premier League trophy and kick-start the most successful period in the club’s history.

“AGUEROOOOO! I swear you’ll never see anything like this ever again,” Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler famously said. “So watch it, drink it in.”

Tyler, whose words will go down in Premier League history forever tied to Aguero’s goal, admits he was not surprised to hear Aguero was leaving City after a season spent predominantly on the sidelines.

He ranks the Argentine among the likes of Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry and Andy Cole and is desperate to one day speak to the 32-year-old about that famous goal at the Etihad.

“Every goal that I’ve commentated on since that amazing day in May 2012, I’ve wondered how to pitch it, because it’s never quite what it was then because I do swear, you’ll never see anything like that again,” Tyler told Sky Sports News.

“The strange thing about it is I never spoke to Sergio about it, I’ve never really been in his company.

“When it’ll be 10 years next year, we’ll have to try and do something really special and maybe I’ll get to meet Sergio and talk about it, maybe get on the very spot where he scored from and he could sit in the commentary box.

“It’s been brilliant. It’s his moment of course, it’s Manchester City’s moment.”

Who could replace Aguero at City?

Manchester City are interested in signing Southampton striker Danny Ings this summer as a potential successor to Sergio Aguero.

Aguero is set to leave City at the end of the season and identifying his replacement has become one of the Premier League leaders’ top priorities.

Their search has included all of the world’s top centre-forwards, including Erling Haaland of Borussia Dortmund.

But with Haaland also wanted by Real Madrid, Manchester United, Chelsea and others – and his market value said to be £100m – Ings has been identified as a more attainable option by the champions-elect.

The 28-year-old has restored himself as one of the Premier League’s top goalscorers since joining Southampton permanently from Liverpool in 2019 and forced his way back into the England fold.