Sergio Aguero 'told by Barcelona he would play a supplementary role'

Sergio Aguero ‘told by Barcelona that he would play a supplementary role next season’ when signing on free transfer from Man City… as Spanish giants pin hopes on Ansu Fati, 18, recovering from long-term knee injury

• The fourth-highest Premier League goalscorer ever joined the club this summer 
• Argentine striker Aguero only scored six goals last season due to injury issues
• Catalan side are understood to have told him he will play a supplementary role
• They will reportedly give the lead striker role to promising teenager Fati instead 

Sergio Aguero has reportedly been told by Barcelona that he will only play a supplementary role next season after joining from Manchester City this summer.

The Argentine forward signed on a free transfer from Pep Guardiola’s side amid strong interest from Premier League sides Arsenal and Chelsea, with an £85million buyout clause and a reported 50 per cent pay cut from his wages at City.

But according to AS, despite his astounding goals record at the Premier League champions, he was told by the Spanish giants that he will largely be in a backup role – and has accepted that.

Barcelona have reportedly told Sergio Aguero he will only play a supporting role this season

Argentine striker Aguero (right) signed from Manchester City on a free transfer this summer

Aguero, 33, joined City back in 2011 for around £35million and during his decade at the club scored a whopping 260 times in 390 games in all competitions, working out at exactly two goals every three matches.

That record includes 184 in the Premier League, making him the fourth-highest scorer in the division’s history, and only three behind Andy Cole on 187 in third, with all three above him in the rankings playing for at least 14 campaigns in the league.

Despite that, his age and recent injury record – he only played 20 times last season, scoring six goals – means Barcelona are said to have told him that he will not be a regular starter, at least for the upcoming 2021-22 season.

Teenage star Ansu Fati, 18, is thought to be the club’s first-choice to lead the line if he recovers from a serious knee injury which kept him out for almost all of last season.

Manager Ronald Koeman (left) is understood to want to use Ansu Fati (right) as his main striker

The decision could disappoint fans who had hoped to see international team-mates and close friends Aguero and Lionel Messi link up regularly on the pitch.

Netherlands star Memphis Depay also signed on a free this summer, from Lyon, and was used by his country as a striker in a 3-5-2 formation at Euro 2020, but could well play out wider or deeper.

There are also doubts over the long-term futures at the Nou Camp for fellow forwards Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele and Martin Braithwaite, who could all be sold by boss Ronald Koeman to balance the books.

The club are in severe financial difficulties due to their astronomically high wage bill, exacerbated by the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. 

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