Manchester City midfielder Raheem Sterling has assured fans he will not be leaving the club despite it being banned from European football, moments before boarding a plane to Madrid for a 'spontaneous city break'.

The Premier League champions have been banned from UEFA club competitions for the next two seasons after being found to have committed "serious breaches" of Financial Fair Play regulations.

The club were also fined 30million euros and it has been reported that they could yet be subject to a massive points deduction.

Manager Pep Guardiola was the first to confirm he will stay at the club in spite of the ruling, and now England's Raheem Sterling has apparently joined him.

About to board a private jet, Sterling told members of the press he remains "100% committed to the club" and that the trip he was about to take was "completely unrelated".

"I just really fancied some last minute winter sun and an Estrella, which I don't think you can get in Manchester, so I'm just going to visit for a couple of days, that's all", said the 25-year-old. "Nothing suspicious, just a last minute, spontaneous city break to a beautiful city.

"Why is my agent here? Well, firstly Aidy [Ward] comes everywhere with me, plus he knows the city, so he's just going to show me around a bit.

"Look, I love Manchester City and I am 100%, definitely staying, so if you could all ignore the plane, my agent and the gentleman on my left who I've brought to teach me a bit of Spanish just so I don't embarrass myself over there, I would really appreciate it."