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Thu, Mar

Guardiola Pays Tribute To Departing Manchester City Legend

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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said Sergio Aguero is "irreplaceable" ahead of the striker's departure this summer. City confirmed on Monday that Aguero would be leaving the club at the end of the season, ending a 10-year stay that saw the Argentine become the club's all-time top scorer.

Though City will likely bring in a new striker to help fill Aguero's void, Guardiola admitted that much of what the veteran striker offers won't be replaceable.

"We have still two months ahead, and today I saw the training session, how brilliant he was and his commitment," Guardiola said.

"Sergio is irreplaceable. I could say in terms of numbers he can be replaceable, it's not easy when you see more than 360 games played and more than 250 goals, the number of titles.

"So it's the legend, the best striker this club has ever had for this century through the years, but is irreplaceable in the souls, in the hearts, in the minds of our fans, of our people, of the players that played alongside him and all the managers who worked with him.

"He's a fantastic person, a human being, and I'm pretty sure if his mind is still aggressive like he is, he can extend his career longer and longer than maybe two or three or four or five years."

The 32-year-old will leave City as a free agent in the summer after establishing himself as perhaps the club's greatest ever player.

Aguero's most memorable moment came on the final day of the 2011-12 Premier League season, as his injury-time winner against QPR sealed City's first English title since 1968.

The Argentine has scored 257 goals in his City career, becoming far and away from the club's all-time top scorer (Eric Brook is in second place with 177 goals).

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