Why it is time for Sergio Aguero to leave Manchester City and join Real Madrid

Sergio Aguero has reached a point in his career where Manchester City cannot offer him anymore than they already have

Sergio Ageuro has recently stated that he couldn’t possibly leave Manchester City until they had won the Champions League. That’s quite the statement from quite City’s best transfer capture of the last few seasons.

Since his switch from Atletico Madrid in July 2011 for £38 million, ‘Kun’ Aguero has more than justified his fee. In just 154 games for the Citizens, he has plundered 96 goals, most notably at the end of his debut season to win his new club their first title in over 40 years. It’s a shame therefore that a number of his teammates aren’t at the required standard to make a genuine tilt at Europe’s elite.

Those connected with the club might disagree to an extent, and they are of course right to do so. But the evidence doesn’t lie. Played off of the park in the last two seasons by Barcelona, that is the level that City’s players must aspire to. And frankly, they are light years away from achieving that at the present moment.

To that end, you have to question Aguero’s motives for wanting to stay in Manchester.

Why Aguero is a perfect fit for Real Madrid

Still only 27 years of age, the Argentine marksmen is approaching the point where we should see the best form of his career, and so now is the optimum time for him to be decorated with the silverware he desires. Although the Barcelona ship has sailed since the signing of Luis Suarez, there’s every reason to think that Real Madrid might still be interested in his services.

Current rumours suggest that Arsenal are trailing Karim Benzema, but the Frenchman is not interested in a move to north London. Furthermore, Real do not want to lose him. The same cannot be said for Cristiano Ronaldo.

By the time the winter transfer window comes around, the Portuguese will have completed the task he set out to do when signing for Los Blancos in 2009. To become the most prolific marksman in the club’s history.

He is just three goals behind Raul’s La Liga mark and only 10 away from equalling the same player’s all-time tally of 323. Crucially, it took Raul 10 more years than it has Ronaldo which brings into sharp focus just how good a marksman Ronaldo is.

In the right side, Aguero will flourish further and with Ronaldo out of the picture, Real Madrid will be that team. Rafa Benitez favours a more defensive set up than his predecessor Carlo Ancelotti and 4-4-2 is his preferred choice of system.

The “big man, little man” combination that has been so successful for so many clubs would find its home at the Santiago Bernabeu, Aguero feeding off of the high-quality approach play and knockdowns from Benzema. Back in a city where he spent so many prolific years, albeit for Real’s cross-city rivals Atleti, Aguero knows the area, understands the culture and will be welcomed with open arms despite his connection to the Rojiblancos.

Can Sergio Aguero put aside his Atletico Madrid connection and join Real?

His acquisition by Real would make them genuine league and Champions League contenders on a regular basis which is what he is striving for presently, albeit in an underperforming City side. Indeed, many has been the time that Aguero has had to carry the fight on behalf of his teammates. Such is his work ethic that he won’t complain and will get straight to the coal face to put in a shift. In that respect, he is a manager’s dream.

But it’s unfair for a supposed elite level football team to be expecting their goalscorer to do all of the donkey work on top of his finishing, even if his pride as a striker and employee ensures that he will do whatever is necessary for his paymasters. For a player of his quality with his best years immediately ahead of him, he isn’t going to come cheap and therefore Florentino Perez would have to dig deeper than he ever has before. Perhaps even making Aguero a new world record purchase.

Manchester City cannot offer Aguero a chance to win big

Manchester City offer him a comfort blanket of sorts but has Aguero ever struck you as being the sort of player that settles for comfortable? No, I didn’t think so.

Clearly any move has some risk associated with it. But on the face of it, you can’t see too many downsides to a decision to go back to Spain. Especially when the team you want to win Europe’s most glamorous trophy with are purchasing players such as Patrick Roberts from Fulham and Bruno Zuculini from Valencia. Hardly the sort of household names to bring success to the Etihad on the scale that Aguero desires, with the greatest of respect.

Sergio Aguero won the EPL Golden Boot last season with 26 goals but Manchester City ended the season trophyless

A £49-million move for Raheem Sterling is admirable, but he too has yet to prove himself on a regular basis at the highest level. Full of potential certainly but a player who blew hot and cold at Anfield on regular occasions.

Fabian Delph is the only other notable selection this summer, and news that Edin Dzeko, one of Manuel Pellegrini’s best attackers, might be on his way out to balance the books should sound the alarm bells for Aguero.

With 26 goals last season, the striker top scored in the Premier League and has little else to do to prove he is the country’s brightest marksman. Despite his excellent personal standards, the team as a whole isn’t equipped to deliver the best that Europe has to offer, and won’t be able to do so for the forthcoming season if their transfer policy this summer is anything to go by.

If Aguero truly wants to be remembered as one of his country’s best-ever strikers, then now is the right time to move on, hit the ground running, and bring home the cup with the big ears.

Stay put and it will tell us much more about Aguero's character than his goals ever could.