Pep Guardiola refuses to clarify 'legend' Sergio Aguero's future amid claims Manchester City striker is unhappy

Striker is claimed to be unhappy at City despite scoring twice and helping the club to the largest lead in the table seen at Christmas in English top flight history

Pep Guardiola refused to clarify what Sergio Aguero's future holds beyond the end of the season (Getty)

Pep Guardiola refused to give away what lies in store for Sergio Aguero after the claimed that the Manchester City “legend” will decide his own future amid growing speculation that he has grown unhappy at the Eithad Stadium.

Much of that frustration appears to have stemmed from his unhappiness with being substituted against Tottenham last weekend, having been seen throwing his gloves to the ground, as well as being left on the bench for the important derby victory over Manchester United earlier this month.

Despite starting the 4-0 victory over Bournemouth on Saturday and scoring twice in the process, reports this week still claimed that Aguero had grown unhappy once again, having held talks with the club’s chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak to appease him earlier this year.

And while Guardiola hailed both his legacy at the club – having famously secured the Premier League title in 2012 – and the impact that he has had this season in firing City to a 13-point lead at Christmas, the largest in the history of the English top flight, he did not confirm if Aguero will remain in his squad beyond the end of the season.

With Gabriel Jesus also on the books at City and in contention to start every match, Guardiola stressed that he has a job on his hands to rotate them when he deems necessary, and that will always upset one or the other.

"I understand players when they are substitutes and don't play," Guardiola said. "They are sad and they are upset.

"But sometimes I think Gabriel Jesus deserves to play too, and Bernardo Silva or Eliaquim Mangala too. If they are not happy with me, that is not a problem - the most important thing is that they respect each other.

"I respect a lot about Sergio, about all he has done, what he has done and what he will do in the future.

"He is a legend and he will decide absolutely everything about his life and his future, and I am delighted to have him here with Gabriel and all of the squad."

Aguero remained on the pitch for the duration of Saturday’s landslide victory over Bournemouth as Guardiola decided not to bring Gabriel on, though that could well be due to the Spaniard keeping one eye on Wednesday’s trip to Newcastle United that comes just four days after their last outing.