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The Argentine forward made his first appearance in four months in the victory over Arsenal, whose contract was expiring at the end of the season.
Pep Guardiola says everyone has to show they “deserve to continue” at Manchester City, including Sergio Agüero with the striker’s contract exhausted at the end of the season.
The Argentine made his first appearance in four months, after recovering from a knee injury, when City beat Arsenal 1-0 on Saturday.
City have said they remain relaxed about the contract situation for Agüero and Guardiola, whose contract is also due to end at the end of the season.
The City boss says he has no doubts about the quality of the 32-year-old, but says everyone at the club should win a new contract.
“The important thing is that Sergio returns in good physical condition, begins to pick up the pace, does not injure himself more and plays well,” he said.
“We know what it means to us, we know how much we appreciate it, but now he has to show like all of us, me first, that we deserve to continue playing good games here and win.
“After that, the club and I decided of course, but when he is playing at his level and we have no doubt, he is a player who stays until he decides. [to go] Because it is unique, the numbers are important for us, the fans and for everyone.
“Having Sergio on the field, we are better, we are more secure. We miss him so much at important moments in the latter part of the season. Now it’s good news for us that he’s back. “
Agüero has been with City since 2011 and has become the club’s top scorer, as well as the non-English top scorer in the Premier League and the fourth top scorer in the competition’s history.
Italian Inter have been linked with a free transfer move for him next summer, but there will surely be other clubs interested in him if he becomes a free agent.
Meanwhile, Aguero will not face any retrospective punishment after he was criticized for touching assistant referee Sian Massey-Ellis during the win over Arsenal.
He found himself at the center of controversy just before halftime at the Etihad Stadium after he objected to a throw-in decision.
The forward faced Massey-Ellis and put his hand on her by the shoulder near her neck, before his arm brushed her back. Massey-Ellis reacted by pushing Aguero’s arm away.
City are already without compatriot Gabriel Jesús with a thigh injury and Guardiola is not setting a schedule for his possible return.
But he cautioned that the club is taking a cautious approach to the Brazilian’s setback.
“The injury he has is in the quadricep in the front part of the leg and I think we will have to be calm and cautious,” he said. “He is not training on the field yet.”
