Paris Saint-Germain have reportedly tabled a mammoth bid of £60 million and plus for Manchester City star striker Sergio Aguero as the French club looks to come back with a vengeance next season following a disappointing season in their domestic campaign. Further fuel to the fire is added by the ongoing cold relationship between Pep Guardiola and the forward.
Upon Guardiola’s arrival at the Etihad, Aguero was his first choice by all means, given his pace on the ball, exquisite finishing, nose for the slim opportunities in and around the opponent’s D-box and sublime dribbling abilities. It reminded many of David Villa at Barcelona, who had gelled best to Guardiola’s tiki-taka, and was untouchable that season.
Aguero was very similar and City’s blistering start to the domestic campaign had left little doubt in anyone about the striker’s inefficacies. But then Premier League happened, and Guardiola’s modified ‘total football’ tactic went down the gutter. Wins became more hard-earned, and they were not so regular now. City were also humbled by the likes of Everton and Leicester City and Guardiola had to tweak his tactics.
The more direct approach did bring positive results again, but the new strategy needed Aguero to work harder and the manager had to ask from him something he has rarely focused on, defending. His goal tally decreased as a result and the winter arrival of Gabriel Jesus saw the Argentine dropping to the bench.
And although the Brazilian was almost immediately sidelined with an injury, Aguero’s scoring did get affected. He ended the season with just 20 goals in 31 league appearances. This has been his lowest in the last three seasons and reports have already surfaced that the player is considering leaving the club now.
And Jesus’ aggressive approach bringing in results has further led Guardiola to try pursuing Arsenal Alexis Sanchez, who plays in a similar manner. However, it goes without saying that neither Sanchez nor Jesus is capable of putting the ball in the net more consistently than Aguero. In his six years with City, Aguero has scored a staggering 169 goals and 51 assists and winning them two Premier League in the process.
Albert Einstein had said, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” Aguero excels in scoring, perhaps the best in the world at that, and Guardiola would be completely wrong to see a good defender in him.
PSG has recognised this well and are willing to build a team around the Argentine offering him £220,000-a-week wages. At 29, the striker would still be at his peak for another two years minimum and what City should essentially do is build up the team behind him, who could provide him with the ball repeatedly.
