Sergio Aguero arrived at Manchester City in the summer of 2011 as a 23-year-old for a fee of £35 million — one of the most hyped signings of that era. Within his first season at the Etihad Stadium, he had already silenced any doubters by netting 30 goals. Yet the Argentine legend has revealed that his rapid rise owed as much to his dressing room as to his own drive.

In an interview with FourFourTwo, Aguero reflected on the factors that enabled him to settle in England so quickly. Having spent his entire career to that point in Spanish-speaking countries, moving to Manchester represented an entirely new challenge — linguistically and culturally.

Desire and determination

"Why did I adapt to English football so quickly? Firstly, because of the desire I had. I always had a desire to compete, I always wanted to give a little bit more," Aguero told FourFourTwo.

He also pointed to the weight of his transfer fee as a motivating force. "I wanted to make a great history at Manchester City, and also because of the fee that they paid Atletico, I wanted to leave them satisfied with the money they'd spent. I wanted to perform well for them, so they realised it was a good investment."

A dressing room full of leaders

Aguero was equally emphatic about the role his teammates played. The squad he joined was stacked with quality — David Silva, Yaya Toure, Edin Dzeko, Mario Balotelli, Gareth Barry, Vincent Kompany, and James Milner among them — and he credits those players with making his transition far smoother than it might otherwise have been.

"There were many good players, which made it much easier for me, and the English guys treated me really well," he said. "I struggled a lot with English, but they tried their best and helped me to understand them. I never had a fight with the English players because they were always very respectful. It was all really nice for me."

Aguero would go on to spend a decade at Manchester City, becoming the club's all-time record goalscorer before retiring from football in 2021 following a heart condition diagnosis. His opening season, though, set the tone for everything that followed.