Transfer might be on the cards

Speculation mounting over Aguero's future as City travel to basement club Sunderland

Man City striker Sergio Aguero celebrating his 73rd-minute goal and his side's fourth in the 5-1 FA Cup fifth-round replay rout over Championship team Huddersfield. City play away to Sunderland on Sunday in the Premier League as they aim to close the
Man City striker Sergio Aguero celebrating his 73rd-minute goal and his side's fourth in the 5-1 FA Cup fifth-round replay rout over Championship team Huddersfield. City play away to Sunderland on Sunday in the Premier League as they aim to close the gap on runaway leaders Chelsea. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

LONDON • Sergio Aguero will have showdown talks with Manchester City in June regarding his future as the club have yet to inform him officially that he is wanted beyond the summer.

The Argentinian forward scored twice in Wednesday night's 5-1 FA Cup fifth-round replay win over Huddersfield.

However, his second double in a row - having also scored a brace in the 5-3 Champions League last-16 first-leg win over Monaco - has not ended speculation about his future after City manager Pep Guardiola dropped him for Gabriel Jesus last month.

Aguero only regained his place because of the Brazil forward's metatarsal injury.

Privately the club insist Aguero, 28, and under contract until 2020, will not be sold, but when asked if he will stay, the striker said: "That will be seen in June. My intention is to stay but it is a long way away. I have three months to give my best and as I always said, in June it will be seen.

"One thing is that the club officially say they want me, and another thing is to tell me.

"The club have not directly told me they want me to stay.

"All I have to do is dedicate myself to playing football, there are three months left, the only thing I think is to give the best in these three months and then you will see.

"My intention is to stay. The club can say what they want, but in June they will have to meet with me."

Aguero, who is the club's top scorer with 22 goals in 30 appearances this season, played down media reports linking him with Spanish giants Real Madrid and French champions Paris Saint-Germain.

"I'm not thinking about Real Madrid or anywhere, I am focused on City. I do not want to think about what will happen to my future. I hope that by June we can achieve a title, which is the most important thing, and then we will see," he said.

Guardiola has repeatedly said it is up to Aguero if he stays, and admitted: "At the end of the season I don't know (if Aguero will remain).

"Even in my career, I didn't know what would happen at the end of the season."

City return to Premier League action tomorrow seeking their fourth successive league win with a trip to bottom club Sunderland.

Sunderland have won just one of their past nine league games but forward Fabio Borini is confident his team can adapt to City's playing style.

"They seem a little shaky at the back because of the way Guardiola wants them to play - but don't take that as a criticism because that's the way he's won titles in the past," the 25-year-old told Sunderland's website (www.safc.com).

"He has his philosophy and that won't change this weekend, so we have to take advantage of that in any way we can.

"We need to frustrate them and if that means we have to be defensive, then so be it because we have to stop their influence on the game."

THE GUARDIAN, REUTERS

SUNDERLAND V MAN CITY

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on March 04, 2017, with the headline Transfer might be on the cards. Subscribe