Aguero staying with City

Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano has insisted the club have no intention of allowing Sergio Aguero to leave.

Sergio Aguero takes a shot on goal against the Chelsea during a friendly match last night.

The Premier League side's leading scorer has recently been linked with a move back to Spain with Real Madrid long-term admirers of the former Atletico star.



However, Soriano has been quick to dismiss any suggestions Aguero could be on the move.



"This has gone on and on and on. We have had discussions with Sergio and his agent about several things and he has never expressed the willingness to go," insisted Soriano.



"We have never had an offer and even if we had an offer we would say no."



Soriano did admit that the club were already in talks with 'several' new players.



"We are at the closing phase with several of them but the closing phase can take one week or three months."



He also suggested the club would open talks with Gareth Barry and Carlos Tevez, who are both now entering the final year of their contracts.



"They are obviously two very good players and the discussions are going to take place," he said.

Aguero: We could have done better

Sergio Aguero insists FA Cup glory will suffice for Manchester City this season, but has urged his team-mates to set higher standards in the future.



Aguero, 24, avoided sanction for his challenge on David Luiz in Sunday's FA Cup semi-final win over Chelsea after helping his side into the final with a decisive second-half goal.



City's Premier League defence is all but over and the FA Cup may prove a much-needed reprieve from the disappointment of finishing bottom of their Champions League group.



When asked if the season will be deemed successful with a win in the cup final, Aguero said: "In a sense, yes, but in another you have to remember that we have a great team, a strong squad, that is capable of fighting to win more trophies.



"We could have done better. It is a club that has not won a lot in the past and at least if we win one trophy then everything is good for the club. We're really happy to be in the final. It was what we wanted from the game.



"We are too many points from (Manchester) United in the league, and this is the only cup that we can win, so we have to take it seriously. It's crucial that we try to win something every year, whether that's a cup or the league.



"This year, we cannot win the league, we are too far away, but this is an important cup in England, for the club, and for everyone."



City face a quick turnaround ahead of Wednesday's Premier League match against Wigan, although Aguero is confident his side's elimination from Europe has kept them refreshed during the latter stages of the season.



"Sometimes it's better to have played more games, because it gives you greater playing rhythm, but at the same time it means you get more tired, more quickly," Aguero added.



"But it was a very big pitch at Wembley, and we are a team that works very hard and that means we are all very tired. But yes, we have a lot of energy. We will all be able to give our all until the season ends, so that we can finish on a high, finishing well in the league and winning the cup.



"I try to do the best for the team and give the most I can in every game, that's all. Lately, I have scored a few important goals, but all that matters is that the team wins."

Aguero may face ban

Manchester City forward Sergio Aguero is waiting to find out whether the FA will ban him retrospectively for an ugly two-footed lunge on Chelsea's David Luiz in Sunday's FA Cup semi-final.



Luiz appeared to catch Aguero with an elbow as the pair chased the ball in the 82nd minute and the Manchester City forward retaliated by diving in two-footed on the prone Blues defender.

Aguero had earlier scored what turned out to be the winner in City's 2-1 triumph but the FA will discuss the Luiz clash with ref Chris Foy, who only gave Chelsea a free-kick.

Blues boss Rafael Benitez was furious about the incident and, when asked about it after the game, tersely replied: "See the video. I will not talk about other players."

But he added: "I'm very disappointed at the moment, you have officials to make decisions. It's something they have to clarify."

Luiz says he forgives Aguero but thinks the forward should apologise for the challenge.

"I forgive everybody in my life but Aguero is a great player and he needs to honest with himself and say I don't like to do bad tackles," said the Brazilian.

"If it was the opposite, and I did the tackle, I would say 'sorry, this is not me, this is not good for football'. Kids watch the game and need to see good things.

"We need to show football is beautiful. In games like this both teams want to win, sometimes people can be angry and do things they don't want to do."



Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini said: "I don't know what he did but usually Aguero takes a lot of kicks from the defenders.

"The referee was there. There are six referees."

Aguero targets third Chelsea win

Sergio Aguero is aiming for a hat-trick of wins against Chelsea when Manchester City take on Rafa Benitez's team in Sunday's FA Cup semi-final.



City started their season by defeating Chelsea 3-2 in the Community Shield and secured a 2-0 win over the European champions in the Premier League at the Etihad Stadium.



They also drew 0-0 at Stamford Bridge in November in Benitez's first game in charge after succeeding Roberto Di Matteo.

"We've had three close games against Chelsea already this season and we expect the same again on Sunday," Aguero told City's official website.



"We'll go out looking to win like we did earlier this season when we faced them in the Community Shield and at home in the Premier League - it goes without saying we hope the result is the same this time around.

The Argentine striker believes Benitez has changed Chelsea's style of play, explaining: "I think that Chelsea's current manager is trying to use a patient approach to open teams up rather than utilise the counter-attack. It's probably going to be a very open game and the team who keeps their head at the crucial moments will win."



Because of injury, Aguero has not started a game since February's 2-0 win over Chelsea but he came off the bench to decide Monday's Manchester derby.



And he believes that spectacular strike ranks among his best goals.

"It's always a good thing to score in a derby and even more so if it's the winner," he added. "We lost the home derby in the very last minute and we didn't deserve that so it was satisfying to win at Old Trafford.



"Personally, it's rewarding to be able to score such an important goal, especially after spending a long time without playing because of an injury. Given the context, the moment and the fact it was a derby, it may possibly be one of my best goals so far."

Kompany and Aguero close to return

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini is confident Vincent Kompany and Sergio Aguero will return against Newcastle on 30 March.

City captain Kompany has been out since January with a calf problem.

Striker Aguero, 24, has not played since sustaining a knee injury in the 2-0 win over Chelsea on 24 February.

"Vincent is not in our plans for [Everton] but I think he will be ready for the Newcastle game, like Sergio," Mancini said.



"It is difficult. Vinny is a really important player for us and now it is 45 days he has been out. It is a big problem.

"Sergio is in Argentina but he will come back on Sunday."

The City manager has also denied speculation linking him with a move to Russian side Zenit St Petersburg.



The Italian added: "It is cold here, I think St Petersburg is [colder]? It is absolutely not true."

Sergio Aguero has only managed nine Premier League goals this season after scoring 23 on the way to City winning the title in his first campaign in England.

Aguero: I'd have joined Real Madrid

Sergio Aguero admits he would have joined Real Madrid had they made an offer for him in 2011, claiming he had "no option but to join City".

Sergio Aguero  looks around the  Santiago

 Bernabeu last night. 

Aguero, who was on the bench during Real's 3-2 Champions League win on Tuesday, became Manchester City's most expensive acquisition last summer when he made a £38 million move from Atletico Madrid.



At the time, reports claimed Aguero was against joining Atletico's fierce rivals out of respect, but the 24-year-old moved to correct those claims following City's heartbreaking loss at the Bernabeu.



"If Real Madrid had been interested in me, then I would be here," Aguero said. "I had no option but to join City.



"I want to take this opportunity to refute the information where I supposedly said that I would never play for Real Madrid because I played at Atletico. It was published in an English newspaper."



Aguero netted 23 goals for City last term, including the match-winning strike on the final day of the season which earned Roberto Mancini's men the Premier League title. The Argentina international says he is happy to stay in England having made the move from Spain.



"Right now, I'm playing for City and not thinking about anything else," said Aguero.




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Sergio Aguero back in training

Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has returned to training at the club as he continues his rehabilitation following a knee injury.



City this morning published a series of photographs on their official website of the Argentina international doing work at their Carrington training ground. The pictures show Aguero, who sustained the knee problem in the Blues’ Barclays Premier League opener against Southampton on August 19, stretching and running with a club physiotherapist and doing some ball work.



City had been optimistic, following the results of a scan on the injury, that the 24-year-old would be back in action by mid-September, although a caption with the pictures today said: “Whether (the league match on Saturday away against) Stoke is too soon for a return or not remains to be seen.”

Aguero, Mascherano transfers under investigation

Authorities in Argentina are investigating alleged tax evasion in the transfer of 444 footballers, with deals involving Manchester City's Sergio Aguero and Barcelona's Javier Mascherano among those under the spotlight.



"An investigation is under way concerning supposed (tax) evasion in transfers of footballers," a senior judicial source told AFP on Monday.



Other well-known players whose transfers are now under scrutiny include Pablo Zabaleta of Manchester City, Ever Banega and Pablo Piatti of Valencia, Martin Demichelis of Malaga and Diego Forlan, now of Internacional in Brazil.



However, the same source told AFP that the Federal Administration of Public Revenues (AFIP) will only be able to investigate any irregularities involving transfers of players from Argentina to foreign countries.



As a result, Aguero's move from Independiente to Atletico Madrid will be investigated, but not his subsequent move to City.



Similarly, Mascherano's switch from River Plate to Corinthians is also being examined, but not his later moves to England or Spain.



Financial operations involving footballers have become less and less transparent because of the growing proliferation of private investors and intermediaries who hold player registrations.



Among the cases which persuaded federal judge Norberto Oyarbide to ask the AFIP to investigate football transfers in the country was the sale of defender Jonathan Bottinelli to River Plate.

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The 27-year-old moved across Buenos Aires from San Lorenzo, although a Chilean club was also involved in the deal.



"Irregularities were detected in several transfers involving first division players," said the AFIP last month.



"One of the most emblematic cases involved the strange sale of Jonathan Bottinelli to River Plate, in which a Chilean club held the registration of the player."



Because of their suspicions, the AFIP suspended 146 agents and asked for 12 players, including Bottinelli, to be stopped from playing until their situation has been clarified.



Oyarbide is also in charge of an investigation into the supposed falsification of European Union passports in order to facilitate transfers of Argentine players abroad.

Kun Aguero could return for international action

Sergio Aguero has hinted that he could return to action for Argentina in 2014 World Cup qualifying, with the striker close to shaking off a knee injury.

His domestic employers at Manchester City would rather he did not rush back into competition with his country, after seeing him pick up a knock while falling awkwardly in their Premier League opener against Southampton.

City expected Aguero to be sidelined until after the international break, with Roberto Mancini branding Argentina's decision to include the forward in their squad as 'ridiculous'.



Aguero is, however, prepared to risk incurring the wrath of those back at the Etihad Stadium by pushing for an imminent return.



The 24-year-old is suspended for a meeting with Paraguay, but claims he could be back in contention for a meeting with Peru on Tuesday.



"I'm here until the Peru game," said Aguero.



"The knee still hurts at the moment and it bothers me, but maybe in two or three days the landscape will change.



"Now I'm going to see the doctors of the Argentinian Football Association."



Should Aguero be ruled out of the Peru clash, he insists a trip to South America to link up with Alejandro Sabella's squad has not been a wasted journey.



"It's always nice to be here with the guys," added the 24-year-old.



"We knew from the Under-20s that this was a good group, and we must continue in this way."