MANCHESTER CITY took their spending to new heights by signing Sergio Aguero in a deal that will cost a staggering �90million. They agreed to pay Atletico Madrid �38m for the Argentine striker - and Aguero's five-year contract, at more than �200,000 a week, will set City back another �52m.
But the hitman, 23, insists he is worth the money. He said: "I think like a giant, think like a winner." The deal easily eclipses City's previous record, the �32.5m they paid Real Madrid for Robinho three years ago.
And among British signings it ranks second only to the �50m Chelsea forked out to take Aguero's former Atletico team-mate Fernando Torres from Liverpool in January.
It still represents small change for City's fabulously-wealthy backer, Sheikh Mansour, a member of Abu Dhabi's ruling family. But he will expect a better return for his money than Brazilian Robinho provided, or Chelsea have so far seen from the goal-shy Torres.
Aguero insists he is ready to prove himself in English football, after scoring more than 100 goals in five years in La Liga, at an average of almost a goal every two games. He has had long chats with Argentina team-mate Javier Mascherano about what to expect - and who he wants to emulate.
He said: "I spoke to Mascherano a lot, about Champions League football and about the Premier League when he was with Liverpool.
"The best Premier League striker I've seen, and by a long way, is Didier Drogba at his most powerful - and Torres isn't far behind."
Atletico coach Gregorio Manzano hammered Aguero for leaving the Spaniards in the lurch.
Manzano raged: "This has used up a lot of valuable time when we are about to face a Europa League qualifier. He could easily have acted with more class, more care, more professionally and with more humanity."
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