Liverpool: Agent Aidy Ward reveals lack of trust between Raheem Sterling and Brendan Rodgers

Raheem Sterling's agent Aidy Ward has revealed that there is no trust between the player and his manager Brendan Rodgers, which has exacerbated the situation over his transfer.

The midfielder has refused to sign a new contract with the club and is being heavily scouted by Manchester City, who have had a £40m ($61.5m) bid rejected by Liverpool this summer. The Reds are holding out for a fee closer to £50m, but City are still dithering on making a move, according to the Mirror, as they hold out for other potential targets to fill their home-grown quota.

A lot of clubs are keeping a close eye on the situation and Ward's comments would add fuel to the speculation that threaten to go out of hand in the month ahead.

"With Raheem, there has been a breakdown in trust between him and Brendan Rodgers," Ward told the Daily Mail.

Ward had raised a furore with his comments regarding Sterling earlier in May, confirming that he will not be signing an extension in the near future.

"I don't care about the PR of the club and the club situation. I don't care," Ward revealed in May.

"He is definitely not signing. He's not signing for £700, £800, £900,000 a week. He is not signing.

"My job is to make sure I do the best with them [my clients]. If people say I am bad at my job, or they are badly advised it does not matter," he added.

The Reds have not been sitting on their laurels in the transfer and have been the most active player in the market by far, securing six signings, including the likes of Roberto Firmino from Hoffenheim and Nathaniel Clyne from Southampton.

The Telegraph reports that Liverpool target Christian Benteke is set to talk to Aston Villa over a potential move to Merseyside, with the Reds unwilling to match his £32.5m ($50m) release clause.