Chelsea facing Sergio Aguero transfer battle as Barcelona join race for Man City star

Man City: Could Haaland replace Aguero?

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Chelsea will not be alone in the race to land Sergio Aguero on a free transfer this summer, according to reports. The Blues are considering the 36-year-old as a potential alternative to Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland, who is believed to be Thomas Tuchel’s priority target ahead of next season.

Aguero is widely regarded as one of the best attacking players in Premier League history but will be forced to seek new employers at the end of the current campaign.

The Argentina international has rarely featured for Manchester City this season, with his lack of action largely down to injuries, and revealed last month that he would be leaving the club in the summer after a decade of service.

Chelsea are understood to be keeping a close eye on the situation with Tuchel in dire need of a top-class centre-forward to lead the line in advance of a renewed Premier League title bid next season.

The west London side’s current options at the top of the pitch are somewhat limited for a club with genuine ambitions of winning domestic and European silverware.

Veteran striker Olivier Giroud is approaching the end of his career at 34 years of age, while Tammy Abraham has struggled to get a look in since Frank Lampard’s departure in January.

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Meanwhile, Timo Werner has failed to live up to expectations since making the switch from RB Leipzig in pre-season.

While Haaland appears to be the preferred candidate to bolster Chelsea’s ranks, Aguero is also a firm choice that would not command a single penny in transfer fees.

The Blues are carefully exploring their options but could see Aguero opt to join Barcelona, who are ready to pursue a move for his services according to the Daily Star.

The report claims that both clubs see the Argentinian forward as a viable alternative to Haaland, but the Catalan giants could be more inclined to admit defeat in the race for the Dortmund star.

Barca are currently in the midst of a crippling financial crisis and are not convinced that they would be able to match the Bundesliga side’s nine-figure asking price.

They are also harbouring concerns over the immediate future of attacking stalwart Lionel Messi, with club chiefs hoping that Aguero’s arrival could help to keep the mercurial forward at the club into next season and beyond.

New Barca president Joan Laporta is said to be preparing a bumper contract offer which includes a number of lucrative bonuses, suggesting that Chelsea will need to submit a hefty proposal of their own to stand any chance of securing his signature.

However, the Premier League club will almost certainly chase a move for Haaland before turning their full attention to Aguero if they are unable to agree a deal with Dortmund.

Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson suggested earlier this week that Aguero would be a shrewd signing for Chelsea, claiming that he could easily thrive under Tuchel’s possession-based style of play.

“He ticks the box for me and the way Chelsea play,” said Merson in his Sky Sports column.

“Chelsea are dominant in football matches, they dictate games and have a lot of possession, they play neat and tidy football around the box and they are looking for that little ball.

“They are not trying to hit a ball from the halfway line into a load of space, you are playing at Chelsea and when you kick off at Chelsea, you are immediately faced with 10 men behind the ball.

“So you need an Aguero who is sharp over three to five yards, that little ball down the side and into the box.”

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