Manchester City have confirmed the news we have been expecting for some time – Sergio Aguero is leaving.
The Argentinian’s contract comes to an end this summer, and City have announced that it will not be renewed.
That will bring an end to 10 years at the club for Aguero, who joined from Atletico Madrid way back in 2011 in a deal worth £38million.
Aguero will go down as one of City’s greatest ever players after 257 goals in 384 games, including that goal to win the Premier League title in 2012.
Now, the focus turns to somehow replacing Aguero – and here are three of the top candidates right now.
Erling Haaland
It’s said almost too much, but Haaland is a machine. After a ridiculous record of 29 goals in 27 games for Red Bull Salzburg, Haaland has somehow managed 49 goals in 49 outings for Borussia Dortmund.
He’s still only 20 but simply cannot stop scoring goals, and given that his father Alf Inge turned out for City, everything points towards Haaland being the top choice – but he would be hugely expensive.
Harry Kane
Another expensive option would be Kane, who may well need to leave Tottenham in the near future if he wants to win silverware.
The 27-year-old has hit at least 24 goals in each of his last seven seasons across all competitions, showing the kind of goalscoring consistency that Aguero displayed with City.
Pep Guardiola would surely love Kane’s all-round game, but whether City can tempt Tottenham into selling this summer remains to be seen.
Lautaro Martinez
What about going for Aguero’s compatriot? Martinez hasn’t scored quite as many goals as Haaland or Kane – 46 in 121 games for Inter Milan – but he has earned comparisons to Aguero with his small stature and predatory instincts.
Inter are having financial problems, so City could try and swoop in to take Martinez to the Etihad Stadium, giving him the chance to replace fellow Argentinian Aguero.
Martinez would likely be the cheapest of the three, and given that he still has huge potential at 23, he looks like a very serious option for City.
