Man City are attempting to push Pep Guardiola towards the exit door as they intensify efforts to make Vincent Kompany their new manager, according to reports.

The Citizens have been far from their best at times this season but victory in the Carabao Cup finalagainst Arsenal before the international break could give them the confidence they need to finish the campaign in style.

Man Citytrail Premier League leaders Arsenal by nine points but Guardiola’s side have a game in hand and face the Gunners at the Etihad Stadium later this month.

It is still unclear whether Guardiola will be at Man City next season with the Catalan having another year on his contract in Manchester – but in a recent press conference he seemed to hint he would remain.

When asked if he would be at Man City next year, Guardiola said: “Oh, everybody wants to fire me, right. Oh my god, guys. One day I will come here and say, ‘bye bye, guys’.

“I’m here, one more year of contract.”

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However, reports in Spain are claiming that Man City are ‘intensifying efforts to oust’ Guardiola after having ‘three meetings’ with potential replacement Kompany.

Bayern Munich have been outstanding this season under the former Man City defender with the Bavarians losing just one Bundesliga game all season, while they are in the semi-finals of the DFB-Pokal and into the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Apparently, it’s ‘clear’ that Guardiola will be leaving Man City in the summer and the Citizens board are now ‘looking for a reliable replacement’.

The report in Spain insists that ‘all signs point to Vincent Kompany, who has established himself as one of the best coaches in the world today’.

And Kompany is being lined up by the Man City hierarchy having ‘already met with the board three times’ and it seems the Belgian is currently the frontrunner to replace Guardiola.

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If Guardiola does leave, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano insists that former Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca is the name Man City have identified to replace him.

Romano recently said on his YouTube channel: “Manchester City as a club are waiting for Pep Guardiola to decide. At the moment, according to my information, the situation is still open. Pep has one more year of his contract, so if he says nothing he will be Man City manager next season. Eventually if Pep decides to leave between now and the end of the season, the name already identified by Manchester City to become the next manager at some point remains, according to my information, Enzo Maresca.

“Maresca has not had so far any sort of contact with Tottenham or Manchester United. Those close to the former Chelsea manager are aware of the situation and interest from Manchester City.

“Manchester City are just preparing for when it’s time to say goodbye to Pep Guardiola and it’s for Pep to decide and he has not made any decision yet.”