The transfer window is open and Stake’s Global Football Ambassador Sergio Agüero caught up with us to discuss his former club Manchester City, as well as all the other ongoings in the English Premier League .
Read the Stake exclusive interview and check out our expert EPL picks and predictions as things get heated towards the tail end of the 2024-25 season.
City want to sign Omar Marmoush this month - where do you think he would fit into City's starting XI and can he play next to Erling Haaland? Is it the right move for City and Marmoush?
I’ve read about those talks. If it materialises, he’ll be another option for City's offensive line. I’m not overly familiar with his style of play, but there must be something there if the club zeroed in on him. As for whether he can play alongside Haaland – why wouldn't he? It’ll depend on the specifics of each match and how Pep sets up the formation. Just like Pep found a path to have Gabriel Jesus and I play together effectively.
A forward for Frankfurt with 30 goals and assists already this season. He’s Egyptian too, could Man City have the next Mohamed Salah in their hands?
Salah's got an amazing trajectory and a track record of consistency in the Premier League for many years. Marmoush will have to prove he can repeat his great performance in Germany in a new league. He’s got the conditions to develop as a player, and I suppose that having Salah as a benchmark will pose as a major challenge.
Last time Man City signed a player of this calibre, with a similar price tag and from the same league, was Kevin De Bruyne, could Marmoush have that impact?
Hopefully, that's the case. Kevin has been outstanding for City. He’s always delivered at the highest level, and every season he’s been pivotal for the team.
Savinho has found some form recently - what does he have to do in the second half of the season to keep his place?
What he’s doing now is exactly what he needs to continue doing. It’s no mean feat to arrive at City, or the Premier League for that matter, and have an immediate impact. In the short time he’s been there, he’s shown an immense talent. With such a fierce competition within the team, he’ll need to keep proving himself week in, week out to cement his spot.
Can Savinho become one of the best wingers in the Premier League
If he keeps up the form he’s shown so far, that could well be the case. We need to remember he’s still very young, and this is his debut season in the league, so patience is advised. There’s a long road ahead, and it’s important not to pile unnecessary pressure on him. He just needs to focus on his game, play naturally, and adapt to Pep's expectations.
Pep Guardiola says he wants more from Jack Grealish - how do you see the battle for the left wing playing out?
It’s great to see competition within the squad. Clubs thrive on it because it pushes players to their peak performance. Pep has plenty of options on that left flank – Grealish, Doku, and even Savinho, who can slot into that position too.
Pep Guardiola has publicly called out Jack Grealish to return to his form from the treble season, did he ever do this to you? Could it motivate Grealish? Or will it affect his confidence?
It’s only natural for Pep to demand Grealish reaches those heights once more. Injuries have disrupted his rhythm and confidence, which is understandable. But quality doesn’t vanish overnight. I’m confident he’ll work his way back to top form soon enough.
Could we see Grealish exiting the club in the near future?
No way to really know. What I am certain of is that he's committed to the club and to the team.
Is PSG a must-win game to stay in the Champions League?
The new Champions League format has shaken things up and delivered some unexpected results. This will be a key match – PSG have more riding on it, but for City, getting a good result would leave them in an excellent position.
What is your prediction?
As usual, City's my horse in the race.
If Manchester City beat Chelsea, is that a statement to Liverpool, or a favour in the title race?
To compete for the title, you’ve got to win as many matches as possible. Chelsea is just another hurdle and beating them would be a massive boost. I wouldn't look out the rearview mirror to see how it benefits others – I'd look straight ahead and think about what’s best for City.
It’s getting closer to summer and Kevin De Bruyne still hasn’t signed a new contract, do you expect him to leave this year?
Happy to repeat myself on this fact: Kevin is a pivotal player for City. I’d love to see him stay for longer, but football is full of cycles, and a player’s wishes have to be respected. Personally, I hope he wants to stay.
Could we see Ilkay Gundogan transition into a coach at Man City, maybe becoming the next Mikel Arteta under Pep Guardiola?
I couldn't say for sure, I'm not familiar with his aspirations. What I can say is that he's an amazing person, very capable and experienced. If Ilkay sets his mind to pursue this, I think have no doubt be able to make the transition.
Man City are also about to sign Vitor Reis £40m, an 18 year old Brazilian centre back, and Abdukodir Khusanov from Lens, a 20 year old centre back for £30m, are these defensive signings needed? What do you expect from them?
Bringing in young players with high potential is a smart move. They can take their time to bed in and adapt to a new league and team. From what I’ve read, these signings have a lot to offer, and hopefully, they’ll live up to the expectations.
Oscar Bobb has returned to training, could he have a big impact on Man City’s season?
Bobb left a very good first impression during his early appearances on the main squad. The injury was particularly unfortunate, putting him on the sidelines and stunting his growth. He should have everything he needs to pick up speed once more. I think there's a bright future ahead for him.
What are your Premier League predictions now? With a bit of description of why, who are your winners, top four, top six and relegated teams?
I'm not big on predictions. At present, Liverpool has racked up a sizable advantage, it's hard to ignore how tough it'd be to erase their point lead. But this remains the Premier League, and the impossible has happened before. Arsenal and Chelsea are hopeful, and if they keep steady, they'll be in the race. As for City – what can I say but my trademark: they'll fight until the end. I've seen it happen in the flesh.
Mohamed Salah is quickly approaching your goalscoring record in the Premier League, is he a worthy opponent to lose a place on the all-time list to?
It’s not about losing a record; it’s about being part of Premier League history. That in itself is an honour, and moving up or down a spot won't change that. If Salah gets there, it’ll be because he deserves it.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is obviously feeling the pull of playing for Real Madrid, according to strong rumours, can you relate to him when Barcelona came calling? Would it be hard for Alexander-Arnold to focus on playing at his best when he has a massive decision like that to make?
I’ve read about it. It’ll come down to how Trent handles it, all players have to learn to do so. From what we’ve seen, he’s still fully committed to Liverpool. Jury is still out.
What’s your opinion on the Saudi League? Cristiano Ronaldo has recently said it’s a better league than the French Ligue 1… Do you agree?
The Saudi League has developed very well over the past few years, new signings have materialised as well – and that in turns makes for a better, more competitive spectacle. Time will tell if it can surpass French Ligue 1. There's a long tradition on the one side, whereas Saudi Arabia is a newcomer. Establishing a new league is a lengthy process, and many years ahead we'll know if the Saudi League keeps up the promise it has shown recently. it could become a major player for sure.
A pundit has said that he’d like to see Cristiano Ronaldo go to America so he can compete with Lionel Messi one last time. How big would a move of that calibre be for the MLS and America?
I don’t think it’ll happen, so there’s little point in speculating. That said, Messi’s arrival has already elevated the MLS a great deal. The league's becoming more and more competitive as progressively bigger stars have joined.
You said Chelsea could be title challengers with consistency, now they’ve lost a few games, what do you expect they’ll go on to achieve this season?
I stand by what I've said. I also mentioned the team is very young on average, and that has its pros and cons. There's ambition and lack of experience both. That could explain the irregularity. It'll be about tapering that performance, that'll surely put them back into the running.
Everyone is so focused on how poor Manchester City have been this season, but they’re 10+ points clear of Manchester United who are bottom-half and on course for their worst-ever Premier League season, does that show the levels between the two teams?
I don't think it's valid to compare the two teams based on their current standings. City have hit a rare slump - first in almost a decade - but they are already bouncing back. To me, this shows it was a matter of circumstances for a team that has been steadily performing at a very high level, season after season. Meanwhile, United have struggled with instability – changes in managers and players – for several seasons. That inconsistency has made it tough for them to find their best form. They have a new manager now, and he's got a lot to give. I think they'll find a path. We'll see.
Will Mikel Arteta start to feel pressure this season if he doesn’t win a trophy?
I don’t see why Arteta should feel pressured to do so. Look at where Arsenal were before he arrived and how they’ve evolved under his guidance. They’ve been consistently competing at the top, which isn’t easy when you’re up against sides like City and Liverpool who have also been giving concerted efforts to take the trophy. Arsenal, since entering this new cycle, have shown up consistently. They've got great players and a newfound trademark play style. The fans ought to be happy. I'm sure winning the Premier League is their end goal, and I believe it's bound to happen sooner than later.
Is your former teammate and understudy, Gabriel Jesus, a good enough striker for Arsenal to win the Premier League?
He's scored six goals over the past seven matches, even coming from recent injuries. It's really unfortunate that a new injury brought his top form to a stop once more, now having to recover for the rest of the season. I hope Gabriel gets better soon.
As a former striker, what’s your thoughts on Alexander Isak? Could you see him joining one of the big European teams in the future?
He's had a brilliant season, with lots of goals under his belt, making him key for Newcastle. Big clubs tend to flock towards scorers. But I don't see Newcastle rushing to ship him off. That could surely change in the future.
Do you think Haaland will break the all-time EPL scoring record
Erling has already broken the Premier League record for goals in a season and has been very consistent in his number of goals per year. And his contribution was very important for City. If he manages to repeat that performance, I would not be surprised if he can do it. Now he has the time ahead of him to achieve it. The best thing is that it will be with City and that those goals will help win more titles for the Club.
If so, by when do you think he will have the record?
It is very difficult to give a date, the important thing is that he continues scoring goals and that he helps City achieve great things.