Real target Aguero as Man City stutter

Manchester City's stuttering league campaign is being further undermined as reports emerge that Real Madrid are attempting to woo star striker Sergio Aguero back to Spain this summer. Just days after Real manager Jose Mourinho was linked with a move to Etihad, speculation which was dismissed by the former Chelsea boss, Aguero has become the centre of attention. Bernabeu president Florentino Perez is stepping up his interest in Aguero - his No 1 summer target- and will offer Gonzalo Higuain plus £8.5 million in exchange, according to the Daily Mail. City are likely resist any attempts by Real Madrid to take their record £38 million signing Aguero, having previously dismissed a similar proposal for Carlos Tevez. It is claimed that Aguero’s family have struggled to settle in England and that the 23-year-old former Atletico Madrid striker would be open to a return to Spain. It gained currency after his father-in-law Diego Maradona also told an Argentinian radio station: "Kun (Aguero) has to play for Madrid. Even though he is flying at City, the best thing would have been to sign for Madrid. He made a mistake. "If Madrid want someone, they get them. Florentino has no limits. It’s a question of convincing City but not with money because they have plenty of that." However, City believe the speculation is designed to unsettle Aguero, who has scored 24 goals so far this season, and insist they have no intention of selling a player who only last week said that "the fans can rest assured I’m happy here". The prospect of losing Aguero is the worst possible scenario for City, with their problems mounting both on and off the pitch. Roberto Mancini’s squad have been at the centre of a 10-point swing in the past month and stuttered as United have overtaken them to establish a five-point lead with seven games left. United can extend the gap to eight points with a win over QPR on Sunday before City play at Arsenal later that day. Mancini, whose job is on line, has admitted such a gap would be too big to close.