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Report: Guardiola personally intervenes to help Sterling out of slump

Kai Pfaffenbach / Reuters

Pep Guardiola reportedly gave a pep talk of sorts to one of the players he'll be inheriting at Manchester City.

According to Daniel Taylor and Dominic Fifield of the Guardian, Guardiola, who will be officially introduced as City's manager in July, phoned Raheem Sterling after hearing that the English winger is suffering because of the abuse he is receiving since departing Liverpool in ugly fashion last year.

The lengthy phone call apparently took place before England's scoreless draw against Slovakia at Euro 2016, during which Guardiola made his admiration of Sterling clear, telling the 21-year-old: "As long as you work for me, I'll fight for you. Keep your head up, don't worry, I know you're a good player and you are a big part of my plans."

Sterling failed to make an impact in England's first two fixtures at Euro 2016, and he was subsequently left on the bench for the Three Lions' match against Slovakia. Hodgson is allegedly reluctant to pick him for his side's starting XI on Monday, when the 1966 World Cup champion takes on Iceland in the Round of 16.

In what was interpreted as a reaction to the abuse he is receiving, Sterling took to Instagram after England's 1-1 draw against Russia, publishing a caption that included the hashtag "#TheHatedOne."

Guardiola's faith in the player, however, is reportedly unshaken. Taylor and Fifield write that the Catalan manager sanctioned City's signing of Sterling prior to his official appointment, as the club's owners consulted him before pulling the trigger on a transfer that converted the youngster into the most expensive English player in history. Not only that, but Guardiola apparently wanted to recruit Sterling at Bayern Munich.

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