It's Time for Manchester City to Say Goodbye to Sergio Aguero

When Sergio Agüero explained his decision to join Manchester City in the summer of 2011, his reasoning essentially boiled down to what his gut was telling him: 'It felt right'.

Almost a decade on, having woven himself into the fabric of the club and English football as a whole, the time for Agüero and City to part ways, a notion that would once be tantamount to blasphemy, also feels about right.

The sight of Agüero with the ball at his feet even vaguely near the opponent's net, is one that still, justifiably, strikes fear into the hearts of countless Premier League defenders and goalkeepers. However, a fit and firing Agüero is an increasingly rare occurrence as injuries rob more and more of the Argentine's time on the pitch.

Since his arrival in Manchester, injuries have always been facet of Agüero's game those at the Etihad have had to live with. Yet, in recent years these fitness woes have developed beyond a minor inconvenience.

Last season alone, Agüero missed 25 games for City through injury. His dip in fitness can be traced back to a knee injury in Spring 2018, which prematurely ended his 2017/18 campaign. In the six years before that setback, he had been available (either starting or on the bench) for more than 80% of club matches since he joined City. After undergoing surgery on his knee, that figure has dropped to 68% and is only set to decline given his latest fitness struggles.

At 32 years of age and with his less than spotty track record, how many more games Agüero can squeeze out is a worrisome topic for those of a Sky Blue inclination.

Even when Agüero has been fit, Pep Guardiola has been inclined to overlook his diminutive talisman for the biggest occasions. Away to Manchester United in last season's Carabao Cup semi-final, Guardiola opted for a typically bamboozling striker-less system, leaving Agüero to look on from the sidelines as Bernardo Silva, Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez and even Kevin De Bruyne took turns through the middle.

Agüero was given a similar watching brief at Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 the following month. City again deployed a system devoid of a role for a recognised number nine, but the man whose shirt carries that particular digit did start that match.

Gabriel Jesus may have been used on the left flank for the first leg but in the return fixture - separated by a global pandemic - the Brazilian demonstrated exactly what he brings to the side Agüero simply doesn't anymore: an eagerness to press.

Jesus' relentless harrying - of a surprisingly susceptible Raphaël Varane - was the source of both of City's goals in a 2-1 win which sent them through to the quarter-finals. Last season, Jesus averaged almost double the number of successful pressures Agüero could muster in his limited league minutes.

As well as his industry off the ball, Jesus - nine years Agüero's junior - also gets into similarly threatening goalscoring positions. In the 2019/20 campaign, Jesus led the Premier League for non-penalty expected goals per 90 minutes according to FBref. Agüero - over a far smaller sample size - was second in the division.

If Jesus can improve upon his finishing ability, City have a ready-made replacement for their talismanic number ten. Freed of Agüero's considerable salary, City could fill that space on the wage bill and bolster their forward line with one of a litany of talented strikers in their vast price range.

Now in the final year of his deal, Agüero and City can amicably part ways at the end of the season with little weeping or gnashing of teeth. As the injuries mount and his importance gradually heads in the opposite direction, the time for City to let him go does feel right.