Manchester City adamant that Sergio Agüero will stay at the Etihad Stadium despite reported interest from Real Madrid
Manchester City will resist all attempts by Real Madrid to lure Sergio Agüero from the Etihad Stadium this summer amid claims that the Argentine forward is unsettled in England and keen to move to the Bernabéu.
Senior figures at Manchester City took the rare step on Tuesday of dismissing out of hand reports in Spain that the 23 year-old, a £34million signing from Atlético Madrid last summer, would welcome a return to the Spanish capital because of problems adjusting to life in the North West.
While the City futures of forwards Carlos Tévez, Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko are uncertain, with all three potentially available for transfer this summer, the club’s Abu Dhabi hierarchy will not entertain the prospect of selling Agüero .
Agüero, expected to overcome badly blistered feet in time to face Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, has been a huge success during his first season at City, scoring 24 goals in 41 appearances for the club.
But with growing speculation emanating from Spain linking Agüero with a move to Real, City sources have stressed that the club had “no intention” of selling the player and insisted that he and his family are happy in England.
Recent comments by Diego Maradona, Agüero ’s father-in-law, that the player made a “mistake” in signing for City have fuelled the belief in Spain that he would be open to move to Real.
Maradona said Agüero “has to play for Real Madrid. Even though he is flying at City, the best thing would have been to sign for Madrid.
"He made a mistake. Now, as he is doing so well, it will be difficult to get him from City.
"However, if Madrid want someone they get them. Florentino [Pérez] has no limits.
"It’s a question of convincing City – but not with money because they have plenty of that”.
Real’s tactic of allowing speculation over a summer target to develop, while publicly denying any interest, has already been evident in relation to Agüero in recent weeks.
During their ultimately successful pursuit of Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was highly critical of Real’s methods, claiming he “wouldn’t sell that mob a virus”.
The Spanish sports newspaper Marca, which continues to have a close relationship with Real, claimed last month that a player-plus-cash deal involving striker Gonzalo Higuaín was already being mooted in an effort to persuade City to sell Agüero .
Real coach Jose Mourinho and director Emilio Butragueño have both denied that attempts are being made to trade Higuain for Agüero, but Real’s interest is long-standing and the player is understood to have preferred a move to the Bernabéu last summer before being told by Atlético that a direct transfer across the city was out of the question.
Agüero has repeatedly stated his desire to remain at City, however, and insisted last month that he is happy at the club.
And when told of Real’s apparent plans to use Argentine forward Higuaín as bait for Agüero last month, City manager Roberto Mancini made it clear that he would not sanction the player’s sale.
Mancini said: “Higuaín is another top player, but we don’t want to sell Agüero for anything.
“It’s impossible for us to sell him. He will stay here, but if Higuaín wants to come here, then we are happy.”
Agüero could be the only current City forward to remain at the club beyond the summer, however, because of the likelihood of incoming and outgoing strikers.
Tevez, recently restored to the first-team squad after apologising for his conduct at the club this season, is expected to be allowed to leave if City’s valuation is met by interested parties this summer.
AC Milan pulled out of a bid to sign Tévez in January due to City’s £28million asking price, but with the player entering the final two years of his contract this summer, his fee could drop to around £20million.
Balotelli is available should City receive offers in excess of £20million for the troublesome Italian, while Edin Dzeko, a £27million signing from Wolfsburg in January 2011, is understood to have become unhappy with his inability to secure regular football at the club and a return to Germany with Borussia Dortmund is a possibility.
Attempts to offload Emmanuel Adebayor and Roque Santa Cruz, on loan at Tottenham and Real Betis respectively, will continue as City look to raise money through player sales to fund the purchase of attacking reinforcements.
Higuaín is rated highly by Mancini, while City have a long-standing interest in Arsenal forward Robin van Persie and Napoli's Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani.
Agüero, however, is regarded as a cornerstone of City’s future plans.
City's existing front men
Sergio Agüero
Signed: £34 million, Atletico Madrid, August 2011.
Goals per game for City: 24 goals / 41 appearances.
Prospects: Real Madrid will push hard, but City have no intention of selling.
Carlos Tévez
Signed: £32 million, unattached, July 2009.
Goals per game for City: 52 goals / appearances.
Prospects: Likely to leave, but who knows? If manager changes, he might stay.
Edin Dzeko
Signed: £27 million, Wolfsburg, January 2011.
Goals per game for City: 24 goals / 61 appearances.
Prospects: Unhappy at bit-part role and Borussia Dortmund keen to take him back to Germany.
Mario Balotelli
Signed: £24 million, Inter Milan, August 2010.
Goals per game for City: 27 goals / 58 appearances.
Prospects: City will sell if they can find a buyer. But who will risk £20 million-plus on Mad Mario?
Emmanuel Adebayor[/scroll]Signed: £25m, Arsenal, July 2009.
Goals per game for City: 19 gls / 45 appearances.
Prospects: Spurs want to turn his loan in a permanent deal, but £15m fee could be an issue.
Manchester City boss Mancini admits Silva is suffering with fatigue
Italian manager says the playmaker has not been at 100 per cent recently and is hopeful he will be able to make a return to full fitness for the club's Premier League run-in
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini is hopeful David Silva can make a return to full fitness soon.
The 26-year-old has been substituted in his last five matches and his boss has admitted that the midfielder has not been playing at the same level as he did earlier in the season.
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But Mancini says it is normal for players to suffer with fatigue towards the end of the campaign after featuring so heavily throughout the season.
"I don't know how many games David has played for us in the Premier League, Champions League, Europa League, League Cup, FA Cup plus internationals," he was quoted as saying by The Mirror.
"But it's normal that a player can arrive at a moment when he can't play 100 per cent.
"David always plays here [indicates high level with hand] and now maybe he is here [drops hand lower to chest].
"This is normal, but I hope he can recover."
We'll win the league at Man City! United ace Rooney sets sights on 20th title win
Wayne Rooney insists Manchester United are on course to win a historic 20th title this season - and believes they can do it at Manchester City.
United's 2-0 victory over Blackburn on Monday night saw the champions open up a five-point lead over rivals City with seven games to go.
The pair meet at the end of the month at the Etihad Stadium on April 30 and the England striker wants to pick up the crown in City's own backyard.
‘We’re certainly good enough to beat them there, as we showed in the FA Cup,’ said Rooney.
‘They have a great record at home in the League but we managed to get the result there in the Cup and that shows we can go there and win. We just have to play our normal football.
'We’ll take full confidence into that game and hopefully we can get the three points.
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