Sergio Aguero...

There's been talk of a difficult relationship between Pep and Aguero for some time, even though Serge has signed a contract extension.

Given his injury issues, lack of clinical finishing (we had 4 shots on target yesterday) and attitude issues, would Pep sell Sergio if a big enough offer came in?

Lets say Real Madrid offer £70M, would Pep let him go?

I don't think Sergio has attitude issues but I do think he is heading towards the end of his city career. If Madrid offered 70 million or even china i'd say yes now, as we would be able to cover the loss plus be comfortable in finding a replacement.

Sergio has had a niggle lately. Yes, he's not been on top form, but still scored a lot of goals.

Maybe Pep has decided to give him an extended rest to take a look at how the 3 youngsters fare against lower opposition teams, building a bit of confidence and showing Sergio that he does have competition.

It wouldn't surprise me if Pep leaves him on the bench for Swansea. The big indicator, will be whether he starts against Monaco. If he doesn't, then you'd have to suspect that there might be a little more to it.

We all know what Sergio can do. He could easily hit another 10 goals between now and the end of the season, comfortably....so I wouldn't discount him. As for Real Madrid, I really can't see Aguero wanting to move there, not with his Atletico connections.

What might be interesting in the summer, is if Griezmann does join the rags for £70m...would they want Aguero back for a similar fee?

I agree Bluey. If we can stuff the hammers like that, away from home, then the midfield and attackers deserve another start and even some of the defence too. 

That Monaco game will answer a lot of questions. Aguero??? Bravo???

I suspect Bravo will get the nod over Willy for the CL games, which is a bit disappointing considering Willy didn't do a bad job while Bravo was suspended.

As for Serge, I reckon he'll miss the next few PL and FAC games and then play against Monaco.  I don't believe we have any of our main competitors between now and then so I reckon Pep will give our youthful forward line a good run at it.

I agree Leo.

Serge has already lost penalty taking duties and he doesn't run as much as Pep wants him to. Jesus does the kind of running needed.

I won't cry if Aguero leaves as we now have Jesus and we'd get a young striker in the summer.

leopold wrote:
As for Serge, I reckon he'll miss the next few PL and FAC games and then play against Monaco.  I don't believe we have any of our main competitors between now and then so I reckon Pep will give our youthful forward line a good run at it.

Don't you think that if Serge is the main man for the Monaco game you would want him sharp and firing on all cylinders? He's not going to be doing that with little game time in the run up to that is he?

it is a squad game as pep keeps reiterating. Players will play but not all the time, he will continue to rotate to freshen things up. I don't see this as dropping aguero more like using the squad to its full benefits.

Topdawg wrote:Serge has already lost penalty taking duties and he doesn't run as much as Pep wants him to. Jesus does the kind of running needed.

I won't cry if Aguero leaves as we now have Jesus and we'd get a young striker in the summer.

I'd be gutted if Sergio left us this summer. What if Jesus gets injured?

Jesus has played all of 2/3 games....he's no Sergio Aguero, he's a kid with a huge potential.

We played well against WHU, but let's not do a Pep thing again - lose a few matches and he's Fraudiola, Aguero hasn't scored for a while, we'll happily ship him out!

Aguero is still our one world class player, with KDB very close to that and Vinny when he's fully fit and playing without injury. Gabriel, Sane and Sterling have a bloody long way to go before you can compare them to Sergio.

Wow...not getting into another argument over this type of thing, but BB was right. Fans are fickle.

I don't think he's the same player as 2-3 years ago.

I don't think he works hard enough on the press and he needs a few chances per goal too often.

On pure ability alone, would you have Suarez or Aguero?

Like I said, I don't want this to escalate into some tick for tat argument....it's just an opinion.

However, I didn't hear anyone complaining about Sergio Aguero and his work rate when he had scored 11 goals in 10 games. Work rate, and correct me if I'm wrong, has NEVER been given as an excuse by Pep in any interview. It's been asked by the press, but I can't remember Pep ever saying "Aguero needs to work harder"....he's mentioned about pressing from the front under his system, and the PRESS have certainly made a massive meal of it, trying to vie for an angle on the situation.

I'm not saying Aguero has not missed chances or hasn't been slightly off the pace, but I think a lot of this psyche has been led by the media.

If Sergio goes on a run and scores 10 goals until the end of the season, making it 21 goals and another 20+ goal haul, would you still be complaining?

As for Suarez or Aguero....it's a ridiculous comparison and I'll tell you why. Because you've never asked that question of me prior to these press reports, not in October 2016, nor 2015, nor 2014.

Just because the media are trying to put a spin on things, don't buy into it.

Aguero is 28...in his prime and he still has another 2 years at the top. He's proven to be a world class striker.

I'll reverse it and ask you....who would you have instead, from any striker in the PL come the start of next season, who you think is better?

And just one other point:

1. You thought Sane was playing shit not so long ago.

2. You thought Sterling wasn't up to much.

3. You now, are quite content if City sell Aguero as we have Gabriel.

A. Sane is a kid getting used to the PL. He was given random, odd games, not a run of games, so could hardly get a chance to prove himself - so hardly his fault (a point I made as you know).

B. Sterling, I've always said needs time as well. It was potential we bought and we are certainly starting to see it (another point I made).

C. Let's wait and see if Aguero does nothing for the rest of the season, but remember what you've said if he proves to be pivotal to this season.

D. So, given the option, you have to keep 3 out of the following 4...Sterling, Sane, Jesus and Sergio. Which 3 do you keep?

I've called players out who haven't been playing well. Sane was playing poorly whenever he got his infrequent chances. Sterling wasn't doing enough, for me, even though he had some decent stats. I think a few grumbled when Aguero was missing penalties and I, for one, was disappointed with some of his pressing.

D. I'll tell you at the end if the season!

D.....so you're bottling it? Happy to get rid of Sergio in the summer, but want to hedge your bets until then? 

Unlike you to give a player time!! 

City should never sell Aguero....end of.

How many times have City been poor with Serge getting next to no help up top on his own?

If the team plays well and Serge gets the service...he'll score goals. Simple!!

I'd rather get rid of Pep

He's had plenty of service and has been taking 3 chances to score 1 goal at times. If it had been Dzeko, we'd have been on his back a bit.

If you want an answer right now, I'd take the kids.

We'll find out soon enough what Pep thinks.

I can't believe Serge is being written off so easily....I never do that 

I know you love him Den, but he's let us down this season a bit with his sending offs and missed penalties. He doesn't seem the same player as a few years ago. He doesn't seem as happy.

Topdawg wrote:He's had plenty of service and has been taking 3 chances to score 1 goal at times. If it had been Dzeko, we'd have been on his back a bit.

If you want an answer right now, I'd take the kids.

#ficklefans

So now, from playing shit in 6 games, to having 3 good ones....you'd take Sane over Aguero?

From Sterling needing to do more, to 3 or 4 excellent games...you'd take Sterling over Aguero?

And...for a 19 year old, who's played all of 160 mins, you'd take Jesus over Aguero?

I give up......

Yep, I would. They are the future. Pep said so himself!!!

Actually, I did say I think we'll get a younger striker this summer.

You wanted me to believe in these kids, so I'm sticking by them!!!

great play for the 4th

OK....hypothetical question.

We have to sell all 4 of them. Put a price on each of them now, or in the summer.

Serge £70m
Jesus £50m
Sane £20m
Sterling 10p

The question was for Dawg....but cheers for the 10p!!

I think Dawgs valuations wont be far off mine Andy

Let's see Den....

Aguero - £60M-£70M
Jesus - £80M
Sane - £50M
Sterling - 10p (+£50M)

My views haven't been tainted by the press.

I've thought that Jesus was a great talent ever since I saw him play last year. To make the strides he has in such a short space of time and become the talisman for club and country at such a young age, he can go all the way to the top. We paid £27M for him which now looks a steal.

Sterling is knocking on the door of being worth the money we paid for him. Just add some more consistency and better finishing and he'll be there. Sane seems to have overcome his problems that he had when he first came (I think Pep mentioned something similar) and looks a tremendous talent too. I'd watched videos of him last year and thought he was fantastic.

btw, a very good question bluey.

Topdawg wrote:Aguero - £60M-£70M
Jesus - £80M
Sane - £50M
Sterling - 10p (+£50M)

OK....so Aguero is £60-70m. 28 years of age. 113 goals in 167 games.

Jesus is now worth £80m - £10-20m more than Aguero for 1 goal in 3 appearances?

Sane is worth £50m after 3 goals in 11 games - £13m more than we bought him for?

Sterling is worth £6m more than we bought him - and he has 7 goals in 29 games this season?


Out of interest...would you have laughed if a United fan posted that Marcus Rashford was worth £100m?

Marcus Rashford - The £100m+ player?????

On 25 February 2016, Rashford was a late addition to the Manchester United starting line-up for their UEFA Europa League round of 32, second leg tie against Midtjylland after Anthony Martial was injured in the warm-up; Rashford marked his first-team debut with two goals in the second half of a 5–1 win. Rashford's goals made him Manchester United's youngest ever scorer in European competition, beating a record previously held by George Best. 

Rashford made his Premier League debut against Arsenal three days later; he again scored twice and provided the assist for the other goal in a 3–2 home victory, making him the third youngest scorer for United in Premier League history after Federico Macheda and Danny Welbeck. 

On 20 March 2016, Rashford scored the only goal in the Manchester derby, his team's first away league win over Manchester City since 2012. Aged just 18 years and 141 days, Rashford made his mark as the youngest ever scorer in a Manchester derby in the Premier League era.

On 30 May 2016, Rashford signed a new contract with United, keeping him at the club until 2020, with an option to extend for a further year. He came runner-up to Portugal's Renato Sanches in the Golden Boy award for best European player under the age of 21, on 24 October 2016.

Rashford isn't all that. Itchy has better stats and Yoyo had him in his back pocket during the derby.

Ok, I'm jessing with you a little here but, if someone in Spain offers £80M for Sergio this summer, he's gone.

I think everyone can already see we've got a bargain in Jesus. Give him the rest of the season and tell me what he's worth then.

when you see Sane from last season, you can see why I wasn't happy with how he was performing for us because I was expecting some of this.

Just look at the number of nutmegs he does.

Come on.....as I said about Sane at the time you weren't happy with him - give him time, he's a kid. He had played 6 or 7 games when you said he was playing shit!

Don't post what he did last season, you don't have to convince me as I was the one saying "give him a chance"  ....a little like Sterling 

Now, you're happy to get rid of Aguero for both of these players a few months later!!!!

As for Jesus....yes, he's got exceptional talent, but he's scored 1 in 3 and is now worth £10-20m more than Aguero???

Rashford had scored 2 on his European debut, 2 and an assist against Arsenal on his PL debut, came 2nd in Europe's best U21 players.....but if a United fan said £100m at the time, you'd have laughed at him and called him delusional!

Where's Rashford now? He's less than a year younger than Gabriel.

All I'm trying to say is this: just because 3 kids are now showing some exceptional skills, remember, they are still just kids. Let's not over-hype any of them. Let's just allow them to develop and enjoy the fact they are all young.....but to suddenly discount the calibre of Sergio compared to any of these 3, be it value or goals/assists...is just folly - in my opinion.

None of these 3 are anywhere near Sergio right now.....but they have the potential to surpass him. When they do, if they do, we'll have some more brilliant PL legends playing for City.

But right now...let's not put too much pressure on them.

Fair post Andy.

shakencity wrote:Fair post Andy.

I'd love nothing more Den, than for these 3 kids to surpass what Sergio has done for us so far. But the oldest of this trio is 6 years younger than Sergio is now - Raheem Sterling (a winger). Sane is 7 years younger and Jesus 9 years younger.

If we keep Pep for 5 years - I'll stake my reputation (whatever that's worth )....all 3 will be in Europe's Elite and City will be CL winners in that time.

I've got my own eyes to see that Rashford wasn't worth all the hype.

I just said that Sane was doing nowt, and he was. His return to the team has seen him play to a totally different level. It's more like I was expecting from him. There has obviously been an issue (maybe homesickness in a new country), but that seems to be in the past now.

It's just my opinion that Aguero doesn't seem happy.

Maybe you're right Dawg....