Man City ‘cannot afford’ Sergio Aguero replacement this summer – Pep Guardiola

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said there is a “big chance” the club won’t sign a striker to replace Sergio Aguero this summer.

Aguero is the club’s record goalscorer with but will leave City when his contract expires at the end of the season, while Guardiola’s side have been linked with moves for Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland, as well as Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane.

Guardiola said the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic is likely to affect the club’s plans this summer, however, with the Spaniard claiming the club will not be able to pay the going rate for high-level attacking talent.

“There is a big chance we are not going to sign a striker this summer,” Guardiola said on Friday.

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“We have enough players in the first-team right now and we have interesting players in the academy, so there is a big chance that because of the economic situation in the world right now, we are not going to sign a striker next season.”

When asked to clarify his comments, Guardiola said: “It’s impossible, we can’t afford it. That is not going to happen. All the clubs struggle financially, and we are not an exception.

“We have Gabriel Jesus, we have Ferran Torres, who played incredibly this season in that position, we have young players in the academy, and we play many times with a false nine.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen, maybe it is going to happen, but maybe we are not going to buy any striker for the next season.

“Today, there is more chance we will not buy a striker next season [than we do].”

Guardiola said it was a tough decision to part ways with Aguero, who was not offered a new contract after 10 seasons at the club.

The 32-year-old has scored 257 goals for the club and won four Premier League titles, with his manager calling his impact on the team “irreplaceable”.

“We know how important a player he is in the present and was in the past. These decisions are never easy,” Guardiola said.

“Maybe we could find a new player to replace Sergio in terms of numbers but it is almost impossible to replace him in terms of what he means to this club.”