What Kun City Expect From Aguero

Nicknamed after his favourite cartoon and with passion for the Lord of the Rings, it was probably a good job that Sergio “Kun” Aguero was good at football whilst growing up in Argentina.

In all fairness, Aguero probably didn’t spend all that much time in the playground as when most of us were worrying about homework and having our first sip of beer at 15, he was making his debut for home town club Independiente.

As you would expect this was a new record for the youngest player in the Argentinean league, surpassing a certain Diego Armando Maradona, who has since become Aguero’s father-in-law.  Nothing like lowering expectations ay?

At 18 years of age, Aguero slightly surprisingly moved to Atletico Madrid for a club record fee, believed to be more than £15million. It was not a shock that he moved to Europe though, it is a well trodden route for the most talented South American footballers, but more so that he moved to, with respect, Madrid’s second club.

His first year at Atletico was slow, as he only managed 6 league goals but in the next campaign he inspired the club to a place in the Champions League, including a virtuoso display against Barcelona where he had a hand in each of his side’s four goals.  The side managed to qualify once again for Europe’s premier club competition in 2009, as Aguero struck up a formidable partnership up front with Diego Forlan.

It was then that he introduced himself to the English audience by grabbing a stunning brace at the Vincente Calderon against Chelsea in the group stage.  His first, a rasping volley, flew into the net like a rocket and the free-kick that followed, left Petr Cech with absolutely no chance.  Atletico went onto finish third in the group but win the UEFA Cup at Fulham’s expense.

Aguero's brace against Chelsea.

Aguero’s last season in Spain proved a struggle for his side as the lack of investment in recent years began to take its toll.  Forlan suffered from a World Cup hangover and at times Aguero seemed to be a one-man team.  Atletico were disjointed and at times shambolic.  Kun could not take it anymore.  He asked to leave.

Atleti fans feared that he would move across the city to Real, which would have rubbed salt into their wounds but with the Copa Del Rey winners looking to add a tall striker as well as Brazilian prodigy Neymar, the move that frightened them most, and probably the one that Aguero would have preferred, never materialised.  One club there was firm interest from was Juventus, but it is thought a mixture of the declining standards of Serie A, lack of Champions Leage football with the Old Lady and the problems Mr Maradona has entering Italy because of his chequered past scuppered that move.

Enter Manchester City with a maiden Champions League campaign to plan for, money to burn and a wantaway striker to replace.  Comparisons will of course be made between Aguero and Carlos Tevez as they’re both stocky, talented, Argentine forwards and one looks to be passing the torch to the other.  Kun does not possess Tevez’s energy and work-rate (does anyone?) but probably has an extra yard of pace along with an additional trick or two.

Aguero has played mostly in a front two during his time in Madrid, with he and Forlan both equally adept at playing on the shoulder or coming deeper.  The ability to play either role will come in handy whether he is paired with Mario Balotelli, Edin Dzeko or even Mr Tevez if a suitor isn’t found.  He may also be asked to plough a lone furrow, something that Tevez excelled at, and it of course remains to be seen if he can deal with the increased physicality of the Premier League.  He also has been asked to play a slightly wider role for Argentina on occasion, and this versatility can only be a positive for Roberto Mancini.

He is decent in the air for his height, which is only five foot seven, and during his time in Spain only Forlan, Lionel Messi, Freddie Kanoute and David Villa outscored him. He scores all types of goals and has improved his performance year on year, whilst maturing as both a player and a man.  Now settle with a child that shares both his and Maradona’s genes, young Benjamin Aguero could be one to watch out for in the future. His dad was arguably the best player outside of the “big two” in Spain but he has big shoes to fill with so much of City’s good play coming from Tevez.

This signing could go either way for the FA cup winners, Aguero could inspire the side to the title and be the poster boy of a changing of the guard in English football or he could be begging for a return to Independiente in two years.  Whatever happens, it is sure to be an exciting time.

Chad Nugent