Sergio Aguero willing to take pay cut to seal Barcelona transfer amid Leeds United interest

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According to Fabrizio Romano, Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero is willing to take a pay cut in order to seal a move to Barcelona amid rumoured interest from Leeds United.

Aguero has marked Barcelona as his priority destination ahead of the Argentine forward’s exit from the Etihad Stadium (mancity.com), having not been offered a new contract with his current terms set to expire next month.

Three clubs have approached Aguero to discuss his situation and to sound out any interest in a potential summer transfer, to which they were informed of his desires to pursue talks with the Camp Nou natives.

Barcelona are expected to make a final decision on signing Aguero in the next few weeks, but have been given an additional key advantage as the 32-year-old is even willing to take a pay cut in order to join the La Liga giants on a potential two-year deal.

Aguero earns close to £12million a year on a £230,000-per-week contract (Spotrac) at the Etihad Stadium, but Romano notes that he is willing to accept an annual deal worth less than €10m (£165k-p/w) to join Barcelona and only to join the Catalan natives.

That will come as a blow to Leeds, who Romano does not claim to have been in contact with Aguero, following reports by 90min that suggested he was being lined up as a replacement for Rodrigo with Marcelo Bielsa’s squad eager to cash in on the Spanish flop.

Rodrigo has only scored four goals in 23 Premier League appearances, of which he’s started 12, following a club-record £26m (BBC) deal with Valencia last summer, while Aguero has found the back of the net twice in 11 games having suffered from injuries and coronavirus.

TBR’s view:

The current campaign has certainly been an underwhelming one for Aguero, although that can be forgiven for the issues that have kept the 32-year-old off the field and there are no doubts in his ability with the Argentine the fourth-best scorer in Premier League history.

Aguero would certainly be a step up on Rodrigo who has failed to establish himself under Bielsa to the point that Leeds are now keen to move the Spaniard on within a year of his arrival, but it remains to be seen if they are able to secure the Man City legend’s signature.

Leeds may have to rely on Barcelona being unwilling or unable to offer Aguero the contract he strives for, despite being open to a wage cut, if they are to seal a deal for the striker Pep Guardiola claims is ‘irreplaceable’ (Sky Sports) for the goals and trophies secured in Sky Blue.