Benitez reveals 'nice' guy Aguero was offered to Liverpool

Newcastle United gaffer Rafa Benitez was given the opportunity to sign then-Independiente forward Sergio Aguero for "big, big money" during his Liverpool reign, but the Argentinian eventually moved to Atletico Madrid.

Aguero should line up at St James' Park on Tuesday for Manchester City, and Benitez speaks highly of the 27-year-old who has recently been supporting him in some charity endeavours.

"Sergio was helping me," Benitez told the Daily Mirror. "We have a foundation in Liverpool. Sometimes I am asked for shirts to be signed to make some money and he was one of the nice people."

Since his £38-million transfer to Eastlands from Atleti in 2011, Aguero has scored 99 Premier League goals, and is looking to become the 25th player in the competition's history to reach three figures on Tuesday. He has reached his current tally in just 146 outings, making him the most prolific goal-per-minute goalscorer since the break away from the Football League in 1992.

It could've been so different though, with Aguero plying his trade alongside Peter Crouch or Dirk Kuyt in Rafa's Reds' attack.

"I was Liverpool manager, they offered him to us as a young player for big, big money," Benitez revealed. "He signed for Atletico Madrid. He was a player that we knew. We were following him. We knew he was a very good player then."

Despite missing a significant chunk of the campaign with hamstring issues, Aguero is just three strikes short of top scorer Harry Kane, who has 24 goals in eight more appearances for Tottenham Hotspur.