Sergio Agüero set to stay at Manchester City

Sergio Agüero is set to stay at Manchester City with the club chairman, Khaldoon al-Mubarak, describing as “ridiculous” the view he could leave despite the striker being dropped by Pep Guardiola on occasions last season. The chairman did admit City’s trophy-less campaign was a disappointment.

Agüero was axed at the start of February in favour of Brazilian Gabriel Jesus, but the latter suffered a broken foot that allowed Agüero to re-establish himself.

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Asked if the Argentinian would remain at City, Al-Mubarak said: “Absolutely. There has never been any doubt about that. I’ve read a lot about the speculation on this and it’s ridiculous. Sergio Agüero is one of the best players in the world. And we are a team that aspires to win in every competition we compete in – having Sergio Agüero as part of the squad is an absolute must. And it has never been in doubt.”

Until the closing phase of the campaign Guardiola offered mixed messages regarding his view of Agüero. The Catalan praised his goal-scoring, while questioning if the 28-year-old could contribute more in City’s build-up play.

Agüero was dropped for City’s 4-0 win at West Ham United on 1 February, as Jesus was preferred. When the 20-year-old, who joined for £27m in January, was injured playing at Bournemouth on 15 February, Agüero was reinstated. He went on to finish the season with 33 goals and earned unqualified praise for his display in the 3-1 victory over West Bromwich Albion, the term’s penultimate outing.

Agüero did not score, but Guardiola said: “He made an amazing, amazing performance. Sergio played, wow, like a long time I didn’t see.”

Under the 45-year-old City ended in third place and were also knocked out of the Champions League in the last-16 round, two stages earlier than last term.

Al-Mubarak said: “In a normal circumstance ending the season without a trophy would be a very disappointing season but it’s not, it really isn’t. While I would say not winning the league and not being within close range of winning the title is no doubt a disappointment, not winning either the FA Cup or the League cup is also I think a disappointment.

“There’s nothing that annoys me more than people either calling me or sending me a message congratulating me on third place. My answer was pretty standard to everyone, ‘don’t congratulate me on getting third, there’s nothing to congratulate, only congratulate me if we win the league’.

“So, this is not the ambition, not at all. There’s nothing to celebrate. I think it’s something which is important, it’s critical, and I know it requires a lot of hard work, particularly in this league, to be in the top four, but our ambition is to win the league. And if not winning it, to go as close as physically possible to winning the league. We are team now that expects to win every year at least one trophy. And then to go further every year in the Champions League. So from that perspective the season has been a disappointment but if you look at it from a different lens we are truly going in a direction that is positive.

“I am very excited about how we are developing as a team, how Pep has taken the squad and really started a process of going through that natural cycle of development. We’ve gone through several cycles over the last nine years and we’re in the middle of one now but you can see where we’re going. I have high confidence that we are going in the right direction. You’ve seen many glimpses of us playing a type of football that is very exciting and very entertaining that I think the fans will grow to love and the results will come, I have no doubts the results will come.”

Al-Mubarak also denied Guardiola was surprised by English football. He said: “The Premier League is a unique league, we say that all the time. It’s a very demanding league, it’s very physical, the number of games – it’s just non-stop.

“Unlike any other league in the world you have seven or eight teams who are top level and 20 teams where frankly you can play any team in this league home or away and neither match is easy, neither match is a given three points.

“Pep has introduced a new way of playing for us, an exciting way but a way that requires work and which requires a set of players that I think function within that system and probably If I look back at this season that puzzle wasn’t complete and I hope this summer we support Pep in competing that puzzle.”

City are hopeful of completing Ederson’s medical on Tuesday ahead of signing the Benfica goalkeeper for €40m (£34.69m), a world-record fee.

The Brazilian, it is understood, is in Manchester to take his physical at the club and though there are some third-party issues to address these are not expected to be an obstacle.

Guardiola’s pursuit of the 23-year-old confirms the view that last summer’s signing of Cladio Bravo to replace Joe Hart was unsuccessful. The Chilean endured a near-disastrous season due to a series of errors that proved costly to the side.