MANCHESTER // Sergio Aguero has vowed to stay at Manchester City and fight for his place after losing his spot in the side to Gabriel Jesus.
The Argentine, who is the third highest scorer in City’s history with 154 goals, has only been a substitute for City’s last two games.
And he suggested that if he leaves the Etihad Stadium in the summer, it will be because City want to sell him, rather than because he is forcing a move.
Aguero, 28, played for the last seven minutes in City’s 2-1 win over Swansea on Sunday, when new signing Jesus opened the scoring and got a 92nd-minute decider.
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“Sometimes this happens. When you’re on the bench you have to wait for your opportunity,” Aguero said after the match. “I have three months to do my best and try to help the team and we’ll see what happens with my future. I want to stay, of course.
“In these last three months that are left I have to help the club and as I say the club will decide if I have a place here or not.”
Aguero, who has scored 18 times in a stop-start season that has been interrupted by two suspensions, suggested he could learn from the 19-year-old newcomer.
“I have to watch what he does, to learn, it could be a little bit,” he said. “I am how I am. I have spent a lot of years in Europe playing the same way.”
Aguero is under contract until 2020 and, along with his agent, recently had a meeting with manager Pep Guardiola, who has previously stated that it is up to the striker when he wants to leave the Etihad Stadium. “[It was about] things to do with the club, nothing strange,” Aguero said. “Private things that have to stay inside those walls.”
Manager Guardiola praised Aguero for his reaction to his demotion, saying: “It is perfect, don’t worry about that. Of course he wants to play. It must not be easy, I understand that. Sergio remains one of the most important players in our squad and he is going to play a lot of games, with Gabriel and without Gabriel.”
The Catalan felt Aguero and Jesus combined well in their brief time together on the pitch, adding: “When he played with Sergio they both played really well.”
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