Bermuda legend Shaun Goater has paid tribute to the “phenomenal” goalscoring exploits of outgoing Manchester City striker Sergio Agüero, who is leaving the club on a free transfer this summer.

The Argentina international leaves as City’s all-time leading goal scorer with 182 goals in 273 appearances since his move to the club in 2011 from La Liga side Atlético Madrid on an initial five-year deal.

He is the fourth all-time leading goal scorer in the Premier League behind Alan Shearer (260), Wayne Rooney (208) and Andy Cole (187) and the highest non-English scorer in the competition’s history.

“Sergio Agüero has been absolutely phenomenal since he’s been at the club,” Goater told The Royal Gazette. “One of the Premier League’s leading goal scorers at a phenomenal rate.

“The rate in which he has scored goals has been absolutely phenomenal and all the players, when you look at the top goal scorers, Agüero is just absolutely frightening. A humble guy off the field; just does his stuff on the field.”

A knee injury last summer ruled the 32-year-old out of the final months of the disrupted 2019-20 campaign and has he struggled with fitness and form since his return to the Etihad Stadium last October.

“It’s a shame we have not been able to see him see it out playing more minutes, etc,” added Goater, who netted 84 goals in 184 appearances for City between 1998 and 2003. “Hopefully, he can play a part in some of these coming games, which are all very vital and important.”

Goater got his wish last weekend as Agüero scored his second goal of the campaign in only his fourth start since October in City’s 2-0 win away to Crystal Palace that moved Pep Guardiola’s team to the brink of a third Premier League title in four seasons and seventh overall.

The striker broke the deadlock at Selhurst Park with a stunning strike after being picked out by Benjamin Mendy's pass.

“It was a long time that I hadn’t played 90 minutes," Agüero told the BBC. “The goal was good because maybe we can win the Premier League.”

City fans would recall Agüero’s famous stoppage time winner in a hard fought 2-1 come-from-behind win at home to relegation-threatened Queen’s Park Rangers that landed the club their first Premier League title in 44 years in the final game of the 2011-12 campaign.

He has since helped the club win numerous league and cup honours, including the coveted League and FA Cup double during the 2018-19 campaign.

Agüero won the Premier League Golden Boot during the 2014-15 season and two years later became City’s all-time leading goalscorer.

City announced in March the forward would bring his decade at the club to an end when his contract expires at the conclusion of this season and he will be honoured for his achievements with a statue at the Ethiad Stadium.

“An absolute legend who will certainly be missed because anyone to fill those sort of boots it’s some huge boots to fill,” Goater said.

City have already won the Carabao Cup and have reached the Uefa Champions League final, where they will face Premier League rivals Chelsea at the Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey on May 29.