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Hot Football Transfer Gossip: Man City ‘to sell Aguero and Kompany’, Chelsea ‘track Boro’s Gibson’

Pep Guardiola’s talent for innovation and outside-the-box thinking got him where he is today, but Manchester City fans might need some convincing about his latest ingenious plan. Because according to the Mirror, Pep is doing the unthinkable.

No, he’s not planning to recall Eliaquim Mangala from his two-year loan at Valencia. It’s worse than that. He wants to sell Sergio Aguero.

The 28-year-old Argentine has scored 11 goals in 10 games this season (although he has missed a few penalties) and is inarguably City’s best player, so flogging him would certainly be one of Guardiola’s zanier tactical moves.

But following four games without a win, some so-called “Blues insiders” have surveyed the situation and told the Mirror that Aguero will probably “be on his way at the end of the season”.

While the more cynical among you might view this report as a mindless, kneejerk reaction to Aguero being on the bench in City’s 4-0 defeat at Barcelona this week, the tabloid claims that there is “tension between the pair”.

They also think Brazilian teenager Gabriel Jesus will rival the “previously untouchable” Aguero for his place when he arrives at the Etihad in January, and that Guardiola wants to sign Antione Griezmann and/or Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang instead. Plus, don’t forget his option to get Wilfried Bony back from Stoke.

Less surprising is the Mirror’s claim that Vincent Kompany’s days at the Etihad are also numbered. The injury-prone Belgian is now said to be fully fit, but Guardiola still opted to leave him out of City’s squad against Barca and play Nicolas Otamendi instead.

Meanwhile, ESPN reports that Inter Milan are “mulling over” a move for Pablo Zabaleta and sent scouts to watch his performance at the Nou Camp - although that wasn’t exactly Pablo’s finest hour.

With Yaya Toure in exile and Joe Hart also gone, the true nature of the much-heralded Guardiola “revolution” seems to be starting to take shape. And it’s certainly revolutionary.

Chelsea’s search for a centre-back has led them to Middlesbrough, whose 23-year-old stopper Ben Gibson is in Antonio Conte’s sights.

The Mail says the Blues will send “spies” to watch Gibson in action against Arsenal at the Emirates this weekend, because they want to see “how he fares against such an attacking outfit”. As if, playing for Middlesbrough, he doesn’t face relentless attacking most weeks.

Elsewhere, Everton have sent scouts to watch Sporting Lisbon centre-back Ruben Semedo (Talksport), Bournemouth want to take Liverpool defender Joe Gomez on loan in January (Liverpool Echo) and - most excitingly of all - Carlton Cole is looking for a new club after a short spell playing for American third tier outfit Sacramento Republic FC (Sacramento Bee). Sacramento’s manager described Carlton as a “real gentleman” who didn’t scored any goals for the team. That’s our Carlton!

@darlingkevin