Aguero details truth behind Man City exit and pain over missed Messi reunion

14 February 2024 , 09:10

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Sergio Aguero left Manchester City in 2021, despite wanting to sign a new deal (Image: PA)

Sergio Aguero has opened up about his departure from Manchester City in 2021 and subsequent move to Barcelona, admitting he never wanted to leave.

Aguero enjoyed ten successful years at City, where he scored 260 goals in 390 games and lifted five Premier League titles, six League Cups and an FA Cup. However, the club decided not to offer him a new contract in 2021 despite Aguero wanting to stay in Manchester for one more season.

"In January 2021 City told me that they were not going to renew my contract," Aguero told Juan Pablo Varsky on Clank. "In February they confirmed it to me. I wanted one more year, I was willing to be on the bench.

"I had been playing little with Pep, but I wanted to help. I felt that being a year it was going to serve me physically to play in the World Cup. (But then) a call came from Barca, but they couldn't pay me what City were.

"I didn't care, I told my manager to put the numbers in and it was fixed in two days. When I had it closed I spoke to Leo (Messi), I imagined playing with him and what happened, happened..."

Pep Guardiola went back on his word after blocking last-ditch Barcelona transfer

Barcelona's financial problems ultimately meant they could not afford to renew Messi's contract, with the club revealing he had agreed terms on a new deal but "financial and structural obstacles" prevented him from re-signing.

As a result, Messi ended up joining Paris Saint-Germain and Aguero never got to link up with him at Barcelona. "Leo assured me that it was going to be fixed (a new contract with Barcelona), that he was going to start training," Aguero added.

Aguero and Lionel Messi are close friends, but the pair missed out on the chance to play together for Barcelona (Gustavo Pagano/Getty Images)

"I saw the news and I thought it was a fake. I wrote to him and he said 'Yes'. I didn't even know what to answer him, I didn't answer him anymore. I saw him the next day and he was pretty bad.

"As soon as Leo left, the club offered me the No.10, I told them 'No'. No. because I didn't want to use it, I had been the 10 in all my clubs... but I believed that Messi was going to return.

"I told them that someone else should use it. 'You are the only one who can use it, you or Ansu', they told me. I told them to give it to Ansu Fati, for me the 10 is Leo's, if he's not there, don't use it."

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Matthew Cooper