MANCHESTER CITY face a fight to keep hold of Sergio Aguero as his former club Independiente remain desperate to bring him home.
The Etihad’s all-time record goalscorer left his boyhood club for Atletico Madrid 14 years ago but has frequently revealed his desire to end his career with El Rojo.
According to reports in South America, as cited by The Mirror, Independiente are now ‘ramping up their efforts’ to sign the striker by launching ‘Operation Aguero.’
The Argentina International turns 32 in June, and remains under contract at City until 2021.
Yet his former teammate Lucas Pusineri, who is now head coach at the Buenos Aires outfit, has been leading the charm offensive to bring Aguero home.
He even claimed that the City star will have his favourite number 10 shirt reserved for him.
He told Super Miter Deportivo: “Hopefully it will be my turn to be the coach of Kun Aguero.
“I was a team-mate of his and hope that in the future I will get to be his coach.
“Hopefully in my stay at Independiente, I can come to [reunite with] Sergio. We are keeping him the number 10.”
“To have Sergio again would be wonderful for Independiente.”
Pusineri revealed he is in regular contact with Aguero, although he denied trying to force the Argentine striker into an Independiente return.
He added: “In recent days I did not speak to him. We spoke two months or so ago, when I congratulated him on a good week he had had with many goals.
“It will depend on the desire or will that he puts on his return, that is why I say that one is excited to [prospectively] see Sergio again at Independiente, continuing to give joy to the people of Independiente.”
Independiente won the last of their seven Copas Libertadores in 1984 and Pusineri admitted that returning to winning ways on the continental front would be added appeal to Aguero.
He said: “To have Sergio again would be wonderful for all of us who love Independiente.
“If I put Independiente in the Copa Libertadores, it would be an important challenge to play with Agüero and for all the people who love him.
“People love him and he is an idol. Hopefully if we manage to be competitive on a slightly higher level, [we will] also be able to count on his help.”
Aguero made 56 appearances for El Rojo, scoring 23 goals, before earning his record transfer to Atletico Madrid in 2006.
In Madrid he smashed in 101 in 234 across five years and signed for Manchester City in 2011 for £38million, sealing the Premier League title in dramatic fashion at the end of his first season.
He has played a crucial role in all four of City’s Premier League crowns with 180 top-flight goals in England, placing him fourth in the league’s history and as the top overseas hitman ahead of Thierry Henry.
And his tally of 254 strikes for the Etihad side – coming in 368 matches – makes him their all-time record goalscorer by 77.
