Sergio Aguero and Vincent Kompany face Man City axe
Pep Guardiola could cull two more members of club's title-winning side as his revolution continues
Pep Guardiola's determination to fashion a Manchester City team in his own image could be about to claim two more high-profile scalps as question marks hang over the futures of Sergio Aguero and Vincent Kompany.
The players were deemed surplus to requirements against Barcelona this week and despite the Manchester squad being humbled at the Camp Nou, it is believed they now face an uncertain future. Guardiola has already dispensed with the services of Joe Hart and Yaya Toure, who were also key members of City's double title-winning team.
Aguero has scored 11 goals in ten games this season, but the Daily Mirror says there is "tension" between him and Guardiola after the Argentine striker said the new coach was "picky" about everything.
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"Guardiola claimed the decision to leave out Aguero was a tactical one, to allow him to play an extra midfielder to try to nullify Barca's famed passing game. But the move failed as City slumped to a humiliating loss," says the Mirror.
"While the manager insisted Aguero accepted his demotion to the bench with good grace, some at the club are convinced the 28-year-old... will be on his way at the end of the season."
The player has agreed an extension to his contract, but "no formal announcement has been made", adds the paper, which suggests his future could depend on how well new striker Gabriel Jesus adjusts to the Premier League when he arrives at the Etihad in January.
However, it could be Kompany who is in greater danger, says the Daily Mail. It reports City "moved swiftly" to "ease any fears" over Aguero's future after he was only named among the substitutes for the clash at the Nou Camp, but the Belgian captain was omitted entirely from the squad even though he was fully fit.
"Kompany's exclusion marked another low for the City captain after two seasons decimated by muscle injuries, and he looks unlikely to stay beyond the end of the season," says the paper.
"Kompany is understood to have grown increasingly frustrated and was involved in an angry confrontation with Aleksandar Kolarov in training before the Manchester derby."
If the defender cannot dislodge one of Guardiola's preferred central pairing of John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi in the coming weeks, he will likely be shown the exit, says The Times.
"Kompany is a well-respected and popular member of the dressing room, but, as he has shown this season, Guardiola can be ruthless if he thinks that a player is not up to the job."
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