Yaya Toure's standing at Manchester City is being seriously undermined by the continued controversial pronouncements of his agent.

The Ivorian international has been a bedrock of City's success over recent years after joining the club from Barcelona in 2010.

Such has been his value to the club that the City hierarchy have traditionally turned a blind eye to some of the more extreme rantings from Toure's long-term friend and agent Dimitri Seluk.

Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure's standing at the club risks being undermined by his agent

Toure's agent Dimitri Seluk has been openly critical of City's board for appointing Pep Guardiola mid-season

But it is understood that Seluk's recent suggestions that his client is not properly valued at the Etihad Stadium have finally exhausted the patience of those at boardroom level. Seluk also erred gravely by personally attacking City football director Txiki Begiristain.

Seluk said that Begiristain 'screwed' current manager Manuel Pellegrini by officially naming his successor Pep Guardiola midway through the season. He added that the announcement had destroyed the morale in the City dressing room.

TOURE'S CITY HONOURS Premier League: 2011–12, 2013–14 FA Cup: 2010–11 League Cup: 2013–14, 2015–16 FA Community Shield: 2012 Advertisement

Toure is no longer Pellegrini's problem as the Chilean is leaving at the end of the season. As such, the City boss continually ducks questions on the matter.

However, it was telling that Toure did not start the Champions League game against PSG on Tuesday even though he had recovered from a knee injury. This is believed to have been a decision Begiristain was fully aware of and endorsed.

It is understood that Toure has trained only sporadically for a while now and that Pellegrini and his staff, who have total control over team selection, believe they can get through big games without him as was proved this week.

Toure, who joined City from Barcelona in 2010, has been instrumental to the club's trophy wins since then

Should Toure leave the Etihad Stadium this summer, he has expressed a preference to stay in England

City still believe Toure can do a job for incoming coach Guardiola as he enters the last year of his contract and will not drive him out of the club. However, his future role — if he does stay — is likely to be that of impact sub, something that is unlikely to sit well with the player himself. Meanwhile, if a good offer for him does arrive then it will be considered.

Executives at City believe Seluk's repeated recent attacks represent a clumsy way to get his client a new contract, a transfer or even to persuade to City to pay up the final year of his current £250,000-a-week contract.

The former will not be forthcoming for the 32-year-old while the problem with a move to a new club is that Toure must find someone who can match his current £12million-a-year wages.