Kun Agüero set to retire after gravity of condition confirmed

At the prime age of 33, the Argentine star is set to retire prematurely in what can only be considered a sad moment for the football world. Having collapsed on field a month ago the worst fears have now been confirmed in that Agüero has a heart condition.

A brief look back at the legend of Kun Agüero

When Martin Tyler screamed "Agüeeeero" as the Argentine fired the ball into QPR's net, many fans around the world knew they were watching a historic moment. Not only did the dramatic last minute strike give Manchester City their very first Premier League title on the very last day of the season, but many knew they were watching perhaps the coronation of one of the best and most consistent goal scorers in the modern day game.

In a world that had become accustomed to the stratospheric exploits of the ageless Cristiano Ronaldo and the extra terrestrial Lionel Messi, here was a player who to an extent encapsulated qualities of both. His physical prowess and strength were undoubted and his ambidextrous precision in front of goal could hardly be questioned. Kun would go onto become City's greatest goal scorer in the club's history with a total of 260 goals in 390 appearances. Of course there were also 73 assists and 15 trophies along the way. The Argentine would eventually leave to join FC Barcelona this season and was ready to play his part in a new chapter for the club before these sad events.

Kun Agüero will retire but what exactly happened?

When Kun finally arrived at FC Barcelona the striker came as a Manchester City legend. The expectation surrounding the expected partnership with long time friend and Argentina teammate Leo Messi was intense to say the least. Yet, it was not to be. Messi would later leave in shocking fashion and Agüero would pick up an injury in pre-season training, ruling him out of the Barcelona's initial matches.

Then came the moment everyone was waiting for, The 33 year-old football icon made his first start in a home game against Alavés in November. Sadly it was on that night that the fateful moment occurred. Alone in the middle of the field Agüero was seen to fall to the ground without cause. In the initial moments he could be seen clutching his throat as medics helped him get to his feet. The Argentine's disoriented state was plain to see as he was taken off field and promptly substituted. In the immediate aftermath the public was informed that the striker suffered a cardiac arrhythmia during the match which Barça would go on to draw 1-1. While grave, fans were given some degree of hope when it was said that Agüero would be out for three months.

Now it seems, however, that it will not be the case. According to emerging information from journalist Gerard Romero, Sergio Agüero will in fact retire from the game as a direct result of the aforementioned heart condition. Reports also indicate that an official press conference will be scheduled next week, at which time the player himself will announce the decision in what will undoubtedly be an extremely emotional moment.

What will FC Barcelona do now?

With the La Liga giants already experiencing a truly awkward moment in the post Messi era, Agüero's imminent retirement could not have come at a worse time. Aside from varying injuries to key players, it is Barcelona's continued financial woes that will truly be of concern as they will struggle to find a replacement.

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Though the club had previously stated they would not dip into the transfer market, it is now widely understood that they will likely have little choice when the window opens in January as they seek to cover Agüero's absence. There has already been talk of Kun's former teammate Raheem Sterling as a potential replacement, however, no official contact has yet been made. Watch this space.