Sergio Agüero: September 2026 Football Insights & Predictions
As an Argentine, how excited were you when Enzo Fernández signed for City?
Whenever City signs an Argentine, it’s always something to be happy about. So I’m delighted they’ve signed Enzo, who, for me, is one of the best midfielders in the world today. He has shown that with the Argentina national team and, particularly recently, at Chelsea. So from that point of view, I’m very happy that he’s now part of Manchester City.
What can the fans expect from Enzo?
First of all, that Argentine spirit of giving everything for every ball. As a midfielder, he offers a lot of energy and determination. I think the fans will become very fond of him as the matches go by because he’s a player with a lot of personality, who always wants to win. That’s also what makes him one of the best midfielders in the world: his winning mentality and his refusal to give up on any ball.
How would you assess City’s transfer window this summer?
When a new manager arrives, they will usually reshape the team according to their system and style of play, so there’s often a lot of movement during that transfer window. I’ve really liked the players City have brought in. It isn’t easy to introduce new players and get them used to a new way of playing, but I think that, with time, matches and training, City will become a great team capable of competing for trophies, as always.
Apart from Enzo, has another signing particularly excited you?
At City, I also really like Anderson. I think he can complement Enzo very well. For me, those are perhaps City’s two most important signings this season. They are two players who will give the team a lot of balance. Anderson has already demonstrated that with his previous club and the national team. City always make new signings every year and then it depends on how they adapt, but I think these two are slightly ahead of the other new arrivals.
What did you make of the Manchester derby? Was it a form of payback for what happened with Bruno Fernandes three years ago?
I wasn’t able to watch it properly, only the highlights. When the cross comes in, almost a driven cross across the six-yard box, Haaland is onside.The uncertainty comes from Enzo throwing himself at the ball to try to head it. That makes the situation with Haaland slightly confusing because Enzo is in an offside position when he tries to head it, but he doesn’t touch the ball. Sometimes you see those given as offside and sometimes you don’t. It’s very difficult to judge. That happens in many countries, some incidents are penalised and others aren’t. But when the cross is played, Haaland is onside. You then have to interpret whether Enzo had an influence on the situation. It’s clear that he tries to head it but doesn’t reach it. I honestly don’t know whether attempting to head the ball counts as interfering from an offside position. Even the linesman can become confused because it looks as though Enzo might have grazed the ball. It was very close. In the end, that goal was very useful for City because playing with ten men from the 22nd minute is difficult. Even so, City did a good job because United couldn’t score against ten men. Otherwise, the match would have finished 0–0. Donnarumma was also very good in the final one-on-one situations. I don’t believe in karma, but City–United matches have always been fiercely contested. City have been superior in recent years. It isn’t that United have only been weaker in the derby; United have been weak in the Premier League for several years. City are in a very good place and, head-to-head, City are clearly much better at the moment.
City played with ten men for a long time. Did Phil Foden deserve the red card?
Yes, I saw the incident. There was intent in the movement he made, but I think the referee was too quick to show the red card. It didn’t seem like a particularly serious sending-off. It’s perhaps unusual because, in the Premier League, there would normally be a warning. The referee could certainly have shown a yellow card because it wasn’t the sort of kick that makes you say, “That’s a red card and a three-match ban.” Bruno gives him a little kick from behind and that prompts the reaction. There was a reaction, but I don’t think it was excessive. The red card seemed very harsh to me. Things keep changing because of VAR. In one respect, that isn’t necessarily bad because it means firm rules are beginning to be established. But in another era, during my time at City, for Example - that would probably have resulted in a warning or, at most, a yellow card.
Erling Haaland is now the leading scorer in Premier League Manchester derbies with ten goals. Do you think he can reach your level?
Yes, I think so. If he continues like this, judging by the numbers being discussed, there’s no way he won’t overtake me.He’s one of the best strikers in the world. If he overtakes me, I’ll still be up there, so it doesn’t matter. The important thing is that he scores those goals to help City win matches and trophies. Goals are always nice because they leave you with memories, but if Haaland continues in the same way, he will very probably take the record. He deserves enormous credit because scoring so many goals every season is no longer a coincidence. Some strikers score lots of goals for three or four years and then stop scoring and fall away. If he breaks my record, it will be because he has clearly been a very important player for City every year, particularly in terms of goals.
Enzo has arrived with a lot of pressure as the joint-most expensive player in Premier League history. Can he handle it and become a City legend?
He has the ability to become a club legend, but it’s still very early. I think you have to assess him over his first two years and see how he adapts to the team and how important a role he can establish within the squad. He certainly has the qualities to become one of the Premier League’s and City’s greatest players. I think there’s a very good chance he’ll become important because City has a great team, which will make things easier for him. That happened to me when I arrived. You hope to have players around you whom you know are very good because that makes everything much easier. In my era, I played alongside Silva, Touré, Tévez, Balotelli, Džeko, Barry and Milner. There were many players who already had an established routine when I arrived, and I knew I simply had to follow it. I think Enzo will quickly adapt to the team and that will make him an even better player. He has a very good chance of becoming a hero at City.
Pep is undoubtedly a City legend. After his sabbatical, could you see him managing a national team or another club?
That’s very difficult to answer. I think he may want to try something different, such as managing a national team. You would have to see which national team would suit Pep because he has a style of play we all know: very attack-minded, with lots of possession. He isn’t a manager who will change his system for a particular match. He spent many years in that routine of constantly being there for us, the players. This year will be good for him because it will allow him to have the break he needs. The reality is that Pep is so passionate about football that nobody knows what will happen tomorrow. He might suddenly appear at a club and surprise us all, or perhaps he still won’t want to do anything in two or three years.Whatever decision he makes, whether it’s a national team or a club, I think he’ll do well because we know he’s one of the best, if not the best, manager in football.
Could Arsenal rotate heavily between the Premier League and Champions League this season?
There’s nothing wrong with what Arsenal are proposing. Pep also tends to make those changes. Some players play in the Premier League and others in the Champions League. He did it with Kompany and Otamendi at one point, and with Bernardo Silva and Gündoğan. He also did it with Mahrez, Sterling and Sané. I don’t think it’s a bad approach. Mikel has an idea that’s very similar to Pep’s style. The problem is that sometimes players are in good form and making those changes can affect them mentally. But if it’s managed properly, it’s a perfectly reasonable approach. As a player, it’s very difficult, but you can also understand the manager’s perspective. It makes sense to protect players’ legs, keep them fresher and reduce injuries. The Premier League is extremely demanding. It requires much more physical effort than the Champions League. Every Premier League match is very physically challenging. In the Champions League, every team plays good football, tries to play out from the back and wants possession. That makes it easier physically. The Premier League is a different kind of football: it’s physically demanding, the centre-backs are tough, the game never stops and there are fewer fouls. There are more fouls and more possession in the Champions League, and the game is slightly more focused on what the opposition is doing. It’s more tactical. In the Premier League, even the team at the bottom of the table can beat you and make life difficult.
Can Xabi Alonso provide the consistency Chelsea need to challenge for the Premier League?
I don’t remember exactly what I said before, but it isn’t easy. Chelsea are competing with City and Arsenal, which makes things difficult, as well as Liverpool, who also tend to be near the top. Other teams have now invested heavily and want to qualify for the Champions League. Chelsea always used to retain their players, particularly during Mourinho’s era. Today, they look like a team that buys and sells, buys and sells, over and over again. That obviously makes things complicated. It all depends on the manager and the club, although the club makes those decisions more than the manager. I don’t know how Chelsea manage those situations.In my experience at City, the club always tried to retain its players, bring in new ones and sell those who needed to leave or play more regularly.
What do you think of Chelsea’s attacking trio of Cole Palmer, João Pedro and Morgan Rogers?
They’re good players, but even if you have an excellent front three, if the team isn’t solid in midfield or defence, the forwards can score three goals and the opposition will score four. You’ll end up losing 4–3. To sustain a front three that you know is very good, you also need a reliable structure behind them so that the team doesn’t suffer so much. Barcelona had that with their front three at their peak, as did Real Madrid and City. But you need a team behind them that can protect the lead after you score. They are dangerous. I played with Palmer and I love him as a player. I think he’s spectacular. When I was there, he didn’t have many opportunities to play for City because there were many top-level players who were also in good form. Moving to Chelsea has worked well because he needed to play. In my opinion, he’s Chelsea’s best player today. He can score or provide an assist at any moment and make the difference.
What impact can Dibu Martínez have at Chelsea?
That’s a very good signing. Chelsea sometimes conceded too many goals. It won’t be easy at first because Dibu needs to get to know his teammates and defenders, which will take a few matches. But Dibu will become very important in many games because he can win matches for you. Donnarumma’s last one-on-one save against United is the kind of thing Dibu regularly does too. It’s a very good signing. I also think the signing of Barco is very good. He’s a young player who has a lot of quality and energy. Once he gradually gets into the rhythm of playing, he’ll do well. But we’ll see what happens over the year and whether the club keeps him. That’s another matter.
How important is it for Liverpool to have kept Cody Gakpo?
Keeping good players is always positive. Sometimes a player might not feel comfortable in his position, with the manager or at the club, and that’s when he wants to leave. But if the player is comfortable with the manager and understands what the manager wants, it’s important to keep him.Liverpool are a very difficult opponent to beat, particularly at Anfield. Keeping players like Gakpo is good for the club. I think City were waiting until the last moment regarding Enzo. His fee was very high, so they had to choose. I think it was either Enzo or Gakpo, and they ultimately chose Enzo.
Bradley Barcola is a great addition to the Premier League, what do you think about Liverpool’s prospects?
The Premier League isn’t easy, but he [Barcola] has the qualities to be a very good player. In reality, he’s already a good player, I mean becoming one of the best in the Premier League. He has the necessary qualities, and a lot will depend on where Liverpool are in the Premier League table and whether they’re challenging for the title. noticeable because there’s more pressure. But he’s a great player, there’s no doubt about that. noticeable because there’s more pressure. But he’s a great player, there’s no doubt about that.
Lionel Messi has officially retired from international football. Could that help extend his club career?
You never know. It all depends on how settled he feels at his club. He currently looks very relaxed and appears to be enjoying himself. He gave everything to the national team for many years and achieved the most important thing, which was winning the World Cup. He also achieved many other things. He’ll now be more relaxed at club level and can decide whether he wants to continue for a little longer. International retirement gives you more freedom because you have more days available. When there’s an international match, for example, he can rest and recover. It might allow him to continue for longer, but he’ll make the decision when he believes the time is right. As Argentines, we’re extremely happy with and proud of everything he did. We can only thank him. As his friend and someone who played with him, I know he gave everything. He was desperate to represent the national team and desperate to win something with Argentina, and he achieved it. That makes me very happy. The people recognise and understand that he did his very best for Argentina.
Who will be Argentina’s figurehead and great leader from now on?
After Leo, it’s difficult for anyone else to become that figurehead. I think the main figure will now be the manager.Even when Leo didn’t say anything, his presence could be felt. You respected him and knew in your head that you had to give everything because he would have died for the national team. The rest of us had to do the same and give our lives for Argentina. Without him, I think the responsibility and leadership will now belong to the coach. Scaloni is also a leader. He’s a highly respected manager, and the players love and respect him. At the moment, I think it’s him. There are also well-known players such as Lautaro, Enzo, Mac Allister, Cuti Romero and Dibu Martínez. There are many leaders, but I think the most important one will be the manager.
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 979 career goals. Can he reach 1,000 before retiring?
I don’t know how much longer he’ll play, but he only needs another 21 goals. He can certainly do it. I don’t know what his plans are when the league season finishes or whether he’ll continue for another season. Scoring goals obviously isn’t easy, but he does it regularly. He’s like Leo: whenever he’s on the pitch, there’s a good chance he’ll score. If he stays for another season, I think he can achieve it. I don’t know whether he intends to continue, but because he’s so close, he’ll probably try. If I were Cristiano, I’d think: "That’s it, I have no choice but to carry on for another year. "Then we’ll see whether it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t matter. He should still be incredibly proud because that number of goals is almost impossible. The same applies to Leo. Their numbers are incomparable. I would carry on because I prefer round numbers. I don’t know whether he’s superstitious, what we call cábala in Argentina, or whether he dislikes odd numbers and wants to finish on an even number. I don’t know.
What do you think of Barcelona signing Gabriel Jesus after losing Julián Álvarez?
Gabriel is a good player. When he’s confident and starts scoring, he can offer Barça a great deal. He’s a physical player who can press high, which the manager likes. Gabriel has a very similar level of energy to Julián and constantly applies pressure. That comes naturally to him. If I had to press, I might do it for ten minutes and then spend the remaining 80 minutes trying to score. Gabriel tries to score while also pressing constantly for the entire 90 minutes.I think he can be a very important player for Barça and also allow the other forwards to rest. I believe he can do very well. He has already played for two big clubs in Arsenal and City. Historically, Barça are another huge club, and playing in Barcelona isn’t easy. But I think he can do it. They have a good squad and most of the players are young. I think it’s a very good signing.
Cesc Fàbregas continues to impress at Como. Could you see him managing in the Premier League, perhaps at Chelsea or Arsenal?
He’s doing very well at Como. His identity is very similar to Barcelona’s style of football because he came through there. He spent a long time being managed by Pep and has worked with some very good coaches. Arsenal are also a team that plays good football. I think he could do well at any club. It obviously isn’t easy, but I’m sure we’ll eventually see him managing a major club.
How do you assess Vincent Kompany’s Bayern Munich? Can they win the Champions League this year?
Bayern Munich, with or without Kompany, are always strong. Kompany has a strong personality and was a real leader as a player. His personality transmits that desire and determination to win to the team. They have a very good chance because Bayern always reach the latter stages, the quarterfinals or semifinals. I also think Barcelona has a very good chance. Barça are aiming to win the Champions League, as we can see from their signings. It’s a different and difficult Champions League, but Bayern can win it. Bayern are already built to compete. People perhaps don’t pay enough attention to Bayern. We always think about Barcelona, Real Madrid, City, Inter and Arsenal, but Bayern suddenly appear in the semifinals. They’re always challenging and are always among the favourites. They’re almost the overlooked candidate because people pay more attention to the teams we regularly see in the Premier League, La Liga or Serie A. Historically, Bayern have always been near the top, so it wouldn’t surprise the public or the players. If a player could choose which opponent to avoid, the first team they’d name would be Bayern Munich, that’s for sure.
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