The signing of Agüero has a high symbolic value for Barcelona and its chairman Joan Laporta. The Argentine Agüero may be the lure that Laporta needs to get Lionel Messi to stay at the Camp Nou after all.
Messi announced already in August last year that he intended to leave Barcelona this summer (as boss). This after a real rift between him and the former chairman, Josep Maria Bartomeu.
Messi and Agüero are of the same age, and have been close friends since junior age. They won the U20 World Cup with Argentina already in 2005, and Olympic gold in 2008.
According to Agüero, they talk to each other more or less daily. And when Agüero was presented on Monday, the question of Messi came up.
Agüero then said: “Of course we hope to play together, I think he will stay.”
Messi has a month to decide. The contract with Barcelona runs until June 30, and he has been offered a new two-year contract.
In the meantime, Laporta can create more lures for Messi. He has already finished with 20-year-old inner defender Eric García, who returns to the club for free after four seasons and lacks playing time in Manchester City. And 22-year-old right-back Emerson Royal from Real Betis, Brazilian national team player.
It is also rumored that Barcelona are interested in Liverpool midfielder Giorginio Wijnaldum, 30, and Lyons striker Memphis Depay, 27. Both Dutch national team players, who played out their contracts with each club and can come for free.
– Agüero has a fine record in Man City – 184 league goals and a number of titles. Now he has signed for Messis Barcelona.
Foto: Richard Calver/TT
33-year-old Agüero is with the transition back in La Liga, where he started his European career in 2006.
I was in Buenos Aires in the winter of 2006 and spent some time with Boca Juniors’ then sports director Richard Willmott. We talked about the future, about the player market, about the player flight to Europe, and he told us that there was a player he wanted to take to Boca Juniors.
A guy who had just made his league debut at the age of 15, and who was now established in the starting eleven with local competitor Independiente, as a 17-year-old.
– But it’s not possible, he is already too expensive, said Willmott and sighed.
It was Sergio Agüero.
A few months later, Atlético Madrid bought him from Independiente for the equivalent of a quarter of a billion kronor, in today’s money value.
Agüero’s 15 seasons in Europe have been golden-edged to say the least. He won the Europa League with Atlético, he won everything that could be won with Manchester City, apart from the Champions League, and he has scored goals. 362 goals in 624 competitive matches at the highest level is a rough result. 184 league goals for Man City make him the fourth best goal scorer of all time in the Premier League.
The Argentine has been injured last year. But was back and jumped into the Champions League final against Chelsea. The final was intended as the ultimate end to the ten seasons in Manchester City, but when the final whistle sounded, tears came. So close, but still not.
Now he rounds off his career in Barcelona, has signed a two-year contract. And injury-free, he is exactly the boxer the team has long lacked.
Since he played out the contract with Man City, he will come for free. Means he can be considered one of the best free recruits ever (if the body holds). According to the German transfer market, the market value is approximately SEK 250 million.
– David Alaba joins Real Madrid from Bayern Munich for free.
Photo: Matthias Schrader / AFP
Another free recruitment that stands out is David Alaba, which has a market value of approximately SEK 550 million. After 12 seasons with Bayern Munich, he is looking for a new challenge at Real Madrid.
28-year-old Alaba will be an important piece of the puzzle when new coach Carlo Ancelotti will now start building a new Real Madrid.
Ancelotti coached Real Madrid for two seasons, 2013 to 2015. From the squad he started with then, there are still nine players left on the payroll.
Names like Raphaël Varane, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Dani Carvajal, Luka Modric, Isco, Karim Benzema, Casemiro and Nacho. Together, they create an average age of just over 31 years.
In addition, 32-year-old Gareth Bale, who was loaned to Tottenham last season, has a contract for another season. However, Ancelotti has said he could consider giving Bale playing time now that he is returning.
One player Ancelotti also does not count out is 30-year-old Eden Hazard, despite the fact that the Belgian has mostly been injured since he was bought from Chelsea for just over SEK 1.1 billion in the summer of 2019.
Raphaël Varane and team captain Sergio Ramos are, however, rumored to be on their way away. The latter has played out his contract.
Varane attracts interest from Chelsea and Manchester United. The price for the Frenchman is expected to land at around SEK 800 million, which means that a sale would give Ancelotti more space in the transfer market.
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