On 29 March 2021, Manchester City announced that Sergio Aguero would leave the club at the end of the season following the expiry of his contract.
On 23 May 2021, on his final league appearance for the club, Aguero came off the bench to score twice in an eventual 5–0 home win over Everton, as City celebrated their Premier League title victory on the last matchday of the season; his brace saw him reach 184 league goals in 275 appearances, breaking Wayne Rooney’s record for most Premier League goals for a single club.
In total, Aguero managed 260 goals for City in 389 appearances.
Pep Guardiola spoke exclusively to Sky Sports following Manchester City’s Premier League title win, where he broke down into tears discussing Sergio Aguero’s departure from the club.
“We love him so much – he is a special person for all of us,” said Guardiola, who broke down in tears during the interview.
“We can not replace him. There are many players who have helped us here, he showed his quality in those thirty minutes.”
Guardiola’s emotional response is a testament to the impact that Aguero had on Manchester City during his ten-year tenure at the club. Aguero joined the club in 2011 and went on to become the club’s all-time leading goalscorer, scoring 260 goals in 390 appearances.
During his time at Manchester City, Aguero won four Premier League titles, one FA Cup, and five League Cups. He was a key player for the club and played a vital role in many of their most memorable moments, including his last-gasp winner against QPR in 2012 that secured Manchester City’s first Premier League title.
While Guardiola’s emotional response may have come as a surprise to some, it is a testament to the close relationships that can develop between players and coaches. Guardiola and Aguero had a close working relationship during their time together at Manchester City, and the coach’s emotional response highlights the impact that the striker had on the club and its players.
Manchester City still went on to win the 2021-22 season without their all-time top goal scorer Sergio Aguero, who joined FC Barcelona.
The season ended in dramatic circumstances on 22 May 2022 with City coming back from 0-2 for the second consecutive fixture. With 15 minutes remaining, the Citizens scored three goals in five minutes, including a brace from İlkay Gündoğan, to beat Aston Villa 3–2 and ensure they would win the Premier league with 93 points, one more than Liverpool, and retain the title amid jubilant scenes at the Etihad.
HE’S HERE! 💙 pic.twitter.com/JuZEtzTWbv
— Manchester City (@ManCity) June 13, 2022
On 13 Jun 2022, Manchester City announced they had reached a deal to sign Haaland after activating his €60 million release clause at Borussia Dortmund.