- 17 Dec 2024
Aguero: I won’t try and persuade Messi to remain at Barcelona
Martin Macdonald
- 1 Jun 2021 19:48 BST
- 5 min read
Sergio Aguero insists he will not try and persuade Lionel Messi to remain at Barcelona now that he has joined from Manchester City.
The Argentine will leave Man City at the expiration of his contract at the end of June, with the club deciding against offering him an extended deal.
READ MORE: Luis Suarez comments on Barcelona’s decision to partner Sergio Aguero and Lionel Messi
Though Aguero remains a legendary figure at the Etihad, having played a key role in various Premier League wins during his time at the club including their first in 2012, he has had a couple of seasons ravaged by injury which have significantly reduced his playing time.
In the 2020/21 campaign he started just eight matches in all competitions.
Man City announced before the end of the season that Aguero would not be staying, which naturally catalysed speculation about where he would end up.
Inter, Chelsea and a return to Argentina were mentioned, but once Barcelona came calling it seems inevitable he would join his friend Messi at the Camp Nou.
What has Aguero said about Messi?
Though Aguero said at his unveiling how excited he was to play with his compatriot, he says he will not try and influence his decision on his own future.
“It’s up to him to sort it. I won’t push Leo to stay. He is great. He will have to sort it with his agent,” Aguero said of Messi’s future.
Barcelona are currently running the risk of losing Messi for free next month when his own contract expires.
The Barca icon had become disillusioned with life at Camp Nou, especially in the 2019/20 season which saw the club failed to win a major trophy for the first time in 12 years.
Though they would win the Copa del Rey in 2020/21, they finished third in La Liga and were eliminated from the Champions League at the last 16 stage by Paris Saint-Germain under Ronald Koeman.
