Sergio Aguero will serve a three-match ban after the FA upheld their charge of violent conduct issued on Tuesday.
The verdict arrives as a result of a meeting of an independent panel at the FA, following Manchester City’s decision to contest the initial charge.
Aguero will now miss the next two Gameweeks, ruling him out of the Manchester derby on September 10, plus the plum Etihad meeting with Bournemouth in Gameweek 5.
Now we must make our own decision.
For some, this was made by activating the Gameweek 4 Wildcard.
Already a hugely popular window to carry out the refresh, Aguero’s troubles will have prompted greater numbers to hit the button.
Those with Wildcards active can now go about disposing of the Argentine’s services and distributing the funds over two players – potentially bringing in a midfield heavy-hitter as their Gameweek 4 captain.
Chelsea’s Eden Hazard, the resurgent Raheem Sterling and the Arsenal pairing of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil top the bill.
The Gunners’ pairing look particularly attractive as a means of acquiring a Gameweek 4 captain – Arsenal face Southampton at the Emirates.
Those without a Wildcard and with just a single free transfer available face a tougher decision.
With Zlatan Ibrahimovic already in almost 60% of squads, our sights must be lowered to consider the likes of Diego Costa and Romelu Lukaku.
Alternatively, we can venture into the mid-price and absorb a transfer hit to acquire one of the aforementioned midfield targets.
Riding out the two Gameweeks with Aguero benched is clearly an option. However, it’s the threat from the Arsenal pair that looks dangerous.
Wildcard squads and those who commit two transfers will likely target one of Sanchez and Ozil and, if they deliver with the armband, it could create a major swing in Gameweek 4.
The key, however, is the plan heading into Gameweek 6 for Aguero’s return.
City travel to the Liberty Stadium to face Swansea – a fixture that looks potentially profitable for Aguero.
Trading him out now looks to be the option if we can be certain to devise a bullet-proof plan to get him back ahead of Gameweek 6.
Again, those with the Wildcard should have the advantage; they can plan their squad around a strategy of banking their Gameweek 5 transfer, ensuring that the funds to bring back the City man can be unlocked with two transfers leading into Gameweek 6.
We have a Burning Question on the Aguero situation, the strategies and the targets arriving in the next 24 hours.
