If someone can check the Aguero thread if it still exists. Somebody posted even a video of some journalist explaining in details how we were very close to signing him until City came up with a crazy offer.
I would say it at the very least came to a point where we had presented personal terms to the player and followed up on that. That would mean more than one meeting.
I don't count Diego as a flop. He was a little bright spot in this terrible season, with better team mates he could be great. He was supposed to link Poulsen/Sissoko/Tiago with Amauri or Iaquinta ffs, even Messi would have problems with that.