It’s impossible to believe there is still a debate.
It’s rare for a striker to boast a Premier League record of 143 goals in 206 games and yet still not be recognised as one of the best.
Sergio Aguero has dealt with this injustice for the past seven years in English football since he joined Man City.
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AP:Associated Press Name your top five Premier League strikers of all time, does Aguero make it?[/caption]
On the seventh anniversary of his transfer from Atletico Madrid, it’s time we begin to put the 30-year-old in the very top bracket of the Premier League’s best ever strikers.
The Argentine currently sits 12th in the list of the Premier League’s all-time top scorers, with Jermain Defoe the only player still active in the top flight to rank ahead of him.
Aguero became City’s all-time record goalscorer in 2017, despite having his career at the Etihad somewhat written off after the arrival of Gabriel Jesus.
Getty Images - Getty The pair have struggled to co-exist[/caption]
The young Brazilian became Pep Guardiola’s preferred option upfront, and it was soon clear that Aguero was not his manager’s ideal type of striker. His future was uncertain.
Despite frequent praise from Guardiola in public, there was an obvious friction between Aguero’s naturally selfish mentality and his manager’s team philosophy.
Guardiola challenged Aguero to change his game, perhaps sacrificing his hunger for goals to encompass a more team-friendly approach.
When other players might have sulked about having to change a style which had served both him and his club for so long, the striker listened to the advice and his game stepped up a level.
The pair share an interesting dynamic
Aguero’s goalscoring antics were soon to be matched with a new-found work rate to win back possession as well as assist his teammates on a more regular basis.
The striker finished the 2017/18 season with 21 goals to his name and became just the fourth player to score 20+ goals in four consecutive Premier League campaigns after Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry and Harry Kane.
The ability to adapt and evolve his game is another massive tick next to Aguero’s name and furthers his case to be mentioned amongst the very best.
AFP or licensors The goals don’t stop[/caption]
It took until last season for Aguero to finally be recognised by his peers, as he was voted in the PFA Team of the Year having been snubbed for the past six years.
Injuries at the wrong time of the season have often wrongly blighted his case for the individual end of the season awards.
PA:Press Association Injuries became an all too familiar sight[/caption]
Aguero has two years remaining on his current contract with City and it’s unclear where his long-term future lies.
The Argentine has spoken publicly in the past about wanting to return to his boyhood club Independiente to finish his career.
Surely Aguero has one more big contract left in him before he retires to Argentina.
If his future isn’t to be with City, a plethora of the world’s best clubs would be queuing up to take him.
PA:Press Association Front and centre alongside Vincent Kompany[/caption]
With three Premier League titles to his name, Aguero will go down as a City legend.
It remains to be seen however how he will be remembered by the rest once he leaves these shores.
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