La Gazzetta dello Sport, via Football Italia, have made a behind-the-scenes fall out claim involving Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and a big name player.

The Lowdown: City race heats up...

The Sky Blues and Guardiola are set for an electric and heated end to the 2021/2022 season with City battling for both the Premier League title and their first ever Champions League.

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Fierce contenders Liverpool, after their victory at home to Man United on Tuesday, have leap-frogged the English champions into first place.

City can re-gain top spot with a victory at home to Brighton this evening as the race continues, but even amid this season-defining last run of games, Eastlands chiefs are preparing for the summer window.

Indeed, major reports have surfaced in the last few days as sporting director Txiki Begiristain edges closer and closer to the signing of Norway sensation Erling Braut Haaland.

These exciting updates have been followed up by possible Etihad Stadium exit reports as La Gazzetta (via FI) make a major claim involving Guardiola and big-name Man City star Raheem Sterling.

The Latest: Pep and Sterling fall out?

According to the newspaper, Sterling is 'no longer on good terms' with Guardiola and his representatives seem set to offer the England international out to AC Milan.

The Rossoneri, who are currently in talks over a possible takeover from Bahraini investment fund Investcorp, could be granted a €300 million (£249m) transfer kitty in the summer - making their purchase of City's winger realistic.

The Verdict: Interesting summer ahead...

Sterling's future will be one of the interesting stories of City's 2022 summer given he is out-of-contract in 2023 as things stand.

That gives Begiristain and co just two windows to either finally agree terms on an extension or decide to sell the 27-year-old, who has scored a brilliant 128 goals and assisted 93 others since joining from Liverpool in 2015.

Sterling has recently re-discovered his best form in parts after a slow start to the 21/22 campaign and the forward's quality is also best exemplified by his phenomenal Euro 2020.

Everton boss Frank Lampard, who undertook a punditry role with the BBC last summer during the tournament, labelled Sterling an 'excellent' and 'world class player' for his performances under Gareth Southgate (BBC via football.london).

The international star clearly possesses bags of ability, as evident by his numbers with both City and England, and losing him this summer would be a big setback for Guardiola - even with his wealth of midfield talent and the possible arrival of Haaland.

In other news: £67m 'big name' is now dreaming of a move to Man City, but it's not Haaland...find out more here.