Sergio Aguero has reportedly been told by Barcelona that he will only play a supplementary role next season after joining from Manchester City this summer.
The Argentine forward signed on a free transfer from Pep Guardiola’s side amid strong interest from Premier League sides Arsenal and Chelsea, with an £85million buyout clause and a reported 50 per cent pay cut from his wages at City.
But according to AS, despite his astounding goals record at the Premier League champions, he was told by the Spanish giants that he will largely be in a backup role – and has accepted that.
Aguero, 33, joined City back in 2011 for around £35million and during his decade at the club scored a whopping 260 times in 390 games in all competitions, working out at exactly two goals every three matches.
That record includes 184 in the Premier League, making him the fourth-highest scorer in the division’s history, and only three behind Andy Cole on 187 in third, with all three above him in the rankings playing for at least 14 campaigns in the league.
Despite that, his age and recent injury record – he only played 20 times last season, scoring six goals – means Barcelona are said to have told him that he will not be a regular starter, at least for the upcoming 2021-22 season.
Teenage star Ansu Fati, 18, is thought to be the club’s first-choice to lead the line if he recovers from a serious knee injury which kept him out for almost all of last season.
The decision could disappoint fans who had hoped to see international team-mates and close friends Aguero and Lionel Messi link up regularly on the pitch.
Netherlands star Memphis Depay also signed on a free this summer, from Lyon, and was used by his country as a striker in a 3-5-2 formation at Euro 2020, but could well play out wider or deeper.
There are also doubts over the long-term futures at the Nou Camp for fellow forwards Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele and Martin Braithwaite, who could all be sold by boss Ronald Koeman to balance the books.
The club are in severe financial difficulties due to their astronomically high wage bill, exacerbated by the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
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