Pep Guardiola: Raheem Sterling and his agent know what we think about him...

Pep Guardiola wants Raheem Sterling to stay at Manchester City as contract talks between both sides continue to drag amid reports the 23-year-old wants parity with top earners Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne.

The England winger was in fine form on the opening weekend of the season, scoring City’s first goal of the campaign and his 50th Premier League goal with a powerful strike beyond Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech.

And Guardiola said that they would do their part to convince Sterling to commit his future to City, with the club keen to hold on to him beyond his current deal, which expires in 2020.

“We are delighted with him and would like Raheem to stay,” Guardiola told reporters after the Arsenal game.

“We’ll do our effort to make him feel we count on him. And we count on him.

“We arrived after a difficult season and I told him I want to help him and would like him to be happy.

“In the end, the agents may not have agreements and that may not happen.

“But he knows and his agent knows we like him and want him a lot.”

Raheem took to Twitter after the win, posting about his delight at hitting 50 league goals.

Great way to start the season, massive 3 points also really happy to have scored my 50th @premierleague goal today!!!!! pic.twitter.com/7B3iAGbNeJ

— Raheem Sterling (@sterling7) August 12, 2018