Sergio Aguero’s decade-long stay at Manchester City ended on a sour note following their 1-0 defeat to Chelsea in Saturday’s Champions League final.
Pep Guardiola’s side became the eighth straight team to lose in their European final debut after Kai Havertz’s first-half strike separated the pair in Porto.
City’s all-time record scorer came off the bench in the 77th minute to play a short cameo, but it proved ineffective as Chelsea held on to clinch their second Champions League crown.
Aguero’s brother, Independiente striker Mauricio del Castillo, took to Twitter on Sunday and said Guardiola “never wanted” his brother at the Etihad Stadium but later deleted the post.
The Daily Mail reported his tweet read: “Guardiola never wanted my brother since his arrival at City.”
Del Castillo told followers he deleted the post because of too many “toxic people,” though he clarified he’d happily express the sentiment again.
Replying to one commenter, he added: “Perfect, I’m glad people have seen it. And I’ll write it again if I want.”
Aguero, 32, will leave City as their all-time top scorer, having bagged 260 goals for the club across all competitions.
That includes 184 goals in the Premier League, making him the highest-scoring player still in England’s top flight. Tottenham’s Harry Kane comes closest to that mark among active players, with 166 to his name.
Aguero has reportedly agreed a two-year contract with Barcelona and is expected to join the Catalan giants on a free transfer this summer.
The South American joined City from Atletico Madrid in 2011 and averaged a little less than 30 goals per season across his first eight campaigns at the Etihad.
Injuries restricted Aguero to just six goals in 20 total outings this term, although Guardiola has left the striker out of his plans even when fully fit at times.
Nevertheless, the coach broke into tears after Aguero came off the bench to score twice when City concluded their Premier League season with a 5-0 thrashing of Everton: “He’s a special person for all of us.
”He’s so nice. He helped me a lot, he’s so good.
“We cannot replace him, we cannot.
“There have been many players at this club, like Joe Hart and David Silva, who have helped us to be this club – what it is.
“We helped his legacy and he showed his quality in 20 minutes.”
Guardiola arrived at the Etihad in the summer of 2016, and City completed the signing of Palmeiras forward Gabriel Jesus the following January.
The Citizens have become accustomed to playing without a recognised striker this season, with Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva at times preferred as false frontmen.
Tottenham’s Harry Kane has been linked as a potential Aguero replacement this summer, although Jesus may have to move in the opposite direction as a makeweight for the deal to happen.