Manchester City CEO Ferran Soriano has ruled out the possibility of Sergio Aguero leaving in the summer for Spain.
Real Madrid have been linked with making a possible bid for the former Atletico Madrid man, who is reportedly open to a return to La Liga.
However, former Barcelona Vice-President Soriano has rejected that possibility.
“I can be really clear on this one. He’s not leaving. This has gone on and on and on,” Soriano told The Daily Mirror today.
“We’ve had discussions with Sergio and his agent about several things and he has never expressed the willingness to go.
“We have never had an offer and even if we had an offer we would say ‘no’.
“We want to keep a squad of more or less the same size, 22 or 24. New players will come and some of our players will go.”
City have been linked with making a number of moves in La Liga this coming transfer window, with Real Madrid targets Isco and Jesus Navas reportedly on their hit list.
Soriano was asked of progress on possible transfer deals and if they were close to sealing any.
“Yes we are. The way we want to work is identify the positions we want to improve, identify the candidates and then work on that.
“We’re at the closing phase with several of them but the closing phase can take one week or sometimes three months.
“We’ve been analysing the positions we want to improve and the market since the start of November.
“So we know what we want and we’re ready to go for the players that we want.
“However, now that the window is open, the speed at which we will execute will depend on the positions, strategies, prices.
“Sometimes it is very difficult to execute deals early in the window. Sometimes it’s better to wait.
“But we know what we want and it’s our responsibility and risk to execute earlier or later.”
Having sacked Roberto Mancini, the Premier League and FA Cup runners-up are widely expected to sign Malaga Coach Manuel Pellegrini. Asked to outline ambitions for the next boss at Eastlands, Soriano revealed a roundabout target for trophies to collect.
“I think that next season is going to be much better, I am convinced about that.
“It doesn’t mean we’re going to win one or two titles. But, in the grand scheme of things, if we look at the next five years and I could plan now, I would say I want to win five trophies in the next five years.
“That may mean we win no trophies one year and two in another but, on average, I want one trophy or title a year.
“That’s the Champions League, the Premier League or the FA Cup. I think it’s a realistic aim, yes. But I’m talking about five years.
“If next year we don’t win, but progress our football and get to the semi-finals of the Champions League, finish second in the Premier League and lose the FA Cup Final again, that will be fine.
“That’s because we will have progressed in the way our football develops.”
