Manchester City Transfer News: Sergio Aguero's Future Discussed by Pep Guardiola

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has conceded he is unsure whether Sergio Aguero will be at the club next season.

The Argentina international is considered one of the finest forwards to have featured in the Premier League and has been a key part of the City side in recent years. However, he's recently found himself on the bench at the Etihad Stadium, and Guardiola didn't offer any guarantee he'd be sticking around for 2017-18.

"At the end of the season, I don't know," said the City boss of his No. 10, per Mike Whalley of The Independent. "I know how difficult it is to find top goalscorers. The guy in the centre of the goal is one of them. I would like him to stay, but I don't know what is going to happen."

New signing Gabriel Jesus has been a huge hit at City since his arrival in January, taking Aguero's place at the point of the attack; the Brazilian has already netted three times.

Per OptaJoe, he's been pretty ruthless with the opportunities presented to him so far:

But the youngster has offered more than goals in his appearances up to now. Jesus is more mobile than Aguero, is more industrious out of possession and can drop into deeper positions to take the ball. They're traits that have added a refreshing dimension to City's play in the final third.

Perhaps most crucially of all, he's linked up wonderfully with Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane. That's not something that has gone unnoticed by the manager. 

"At Palace I saw three guys in front with a high intensity and said: ‘Wow, I like what they do,'" said Guardiola, per Whalley. "In the last game, it gave them continuity. My advice to the guys is: Keep going – show me again how good you are."

For now, the perpetual motion of that attacking trio means Aguero will likely spend some more time on the bench, and the Argentina international admitted himself recently that he could leave the club at the end of the season should first-team football dry up.

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

"I have three months to do my best and try to help the team, and we'll see what happens with my future,"  he said, per Jamie Jackson of the Guardian.

Nevertheless, it's premature to drop the curtain on Aguero's City career. Per BBC Sport, he remains a critical player:

Indeed, the impact of Jesus has led to plenty of revisionism of Aguero as a footballer; when he's at full flight, there's no doubt he's still among the best in the division.

While he may not be as dynamic as Jesus, the Argentina man is proven in the top tier over many years and has stood up in so many big games for City. When the ball finds its way to him on the edge of the box, Aguero's ability to manufacture space and finish with both feet is unmatched. 

At the moment, Jesus is the trigger for the intense style of football being played by the Sky Blues, but he'll have a rough patch, as all youngsters do. Aguero is a thoroughbred world-class operator, and when he does get a chance in the XI again, you wouldn't back against him seizing it.