Guardiola praises Aguero attitude: 'Now he understands what we want'

Posted Saturday, April 15, 2017 by Goal.com

The striker will sit down with his employers at the end of the season to clear up his future, though his performances have far from suffered

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says he has never had a problem with Sergio Aguero's attitude and insists the striker "now understands better what we're looking for".

Aguero has scored 10 goals in the 11 games since Gabriel Jesus, who usurped him in the City line-up, got injured at Bournemouth in February.

Guardiola spent the opening months of the season urging the Argentine to up his work-rate and overall contribution to the team, and now believes he is showing big improvements.

However, Aguero and the club are still set to sit down with each other at the end of the season to clear up the striker's future, with neither party sure of the other's intentions.

Sources close to the player have told Goal this week that he is happy in Manchester and feels valued by the City ownership, but it is also understood that his advisors have listened to proposals from other clubs in recent months in case he is deemed surplus to requirements by Guardiola.

City insist publicly that the striker is not for sale under any circumstances, but remain concerned that he could still leave over the summer.

Guardiola has always said Aguero will be key to his plans at the Etihad Stadium, even as he struggled to get to grips with the coach's demands, and the manager is delighted with his forward's recent performances.

"I said many times that he’s involved in the game," Guardiola said on Friday. "My feeling before that he was just waiting to score a goal. Now he’s involved in the game. Not just the defensive part, [where] he’s helped us a lot, but he is doing all he can do in our process to create chances. That’s why. There are no complaints about what he has done after the injury for Gabriel Jesus."

It was Aguero himself who suggested publicly that the club may sell him in the summer after City beat Swansea 2-1 in February, when Jesus scored both goals, including a late winner, having started in Aguero's place.

Aguero said he had to learn from the then 19-year-old Brazilian, but insisted defiantly that "I am how I am. I have spent a lot of years in Europe playing the same way."

That interview left an impression that the Argentine was less than impressed with his predicament, though any potential issues have not manifested themselves on the pitch.

Indeed, Guardiola insists Aguero has not given him any trouble at any point this season.

"It was always good, from the beginning, it was always good," he said of the forward's attitude. "No complaints. Maybe now he understands better what we’re looking for. He’s trying and that is what I want. When he misses chances, always you can improve, but we’ve no complaints."