Manchester City cult hero Shaun Goater has questioned how the club can replace Sergio Aguero.

At the age of 31, with 173 goals in 250 appearances for City, Aguero is in the twilight of his Etihad career.

Just how do you go about replacing a talent so rare?

“I don't know if you can develop that type of player," Goater told the London Evening Standard. “I think it comes down to exceptional recruitment.

“To find a player around 19, 20 and to see the vision that this player has, a high intellectual understanding of the game, good body strength, good physique in terms of conditioning to be able to play week in, week out, fast because the modern day forward needs to be quick.

“To recruit a Sergio-type striker, to see that, that's a great eye and every club wants a great recruitment officer like that.

“There are loads of kids around the world, say in South America that have this low centre of gravity, this agility. You look at (Paulo) Dybala. On the eye you think 'What a player.'

“Maybe over the next year or two he will become more prolific, because we see the quality he has already. But does he go to the next level of being a scoring player? I know he's not an out and out centre forward.

“But there are players out there. I'm sure the club will eventually recruit and find somebody, but it's not an easy task. That's what everybody wants."