Pep Guardiola watched on as his side were held to a 1-1 draw by Brighton on Wednesday night - and eagle-eyed Manchester City fans were quick to spot his post-match interaction with Seagulls talisman Alexis Mac Allister.
The Premier League champions played out an entertaining 1-1 draw with Roberto De Zerbi 's side at the Amex Stadium, with Julio Encisco's exquisite long-range strike cancelling out Phil Foden 's 25th minute opener.
A point was enough for Brighton to secure Europa League football next term and their players celebrated on the pitch in front of the ecstatic home fans following the final whistle. However, all eyes were firmly on Mac Allister, who has been heavily linked with a summer transfer.
The sought-after midfielder, who starred in Argentina's World Cup triumph midway through the season, appeared to bid farewell to Brighton fans at the end of the Seagulls' final home game of the season.
And the 24-year-old was also spotted sharing a warm embrace and a quick word with Guardiola, who is known to be an admirer of Mac Allister. Mirror Football understands that Manchester City are plotting to launch their own bid for the Brighton ace this summer despite strong interest from Liverpool.
The Reds have been heavily linked with Mac Allister for weeks, with some reports even claiming that a deal had already been wrapped up. However, that doesn't appear to be the case - and Manchester City could throw a major spanner into Jurgen Klopp 's summer transfer plans if they decide to firm up their interest in the £60million-rated ace.
The German is planning to overhaul his midfield options in the wake of Liverpool's disappointing Premier League campaign. However, Klopp will be unable to offer Mac Allister - or any other prospective new arrivals - Champions League football - something that wouldn't be a problem for Manchester City, who could yet go on and win the tournament.
Join the debate! Who do you think will win the race for Mac Allister this summer: Liverpool or Man City? Let us know here.
Guardiola continued his charm offensive after the match when he lauded Brighton for clinching a Europa League spot. He told Sky Sports: “Exceptional game. Congratulations to Brighton for their deserved qualification to the Europa League.
“The game we played, 48 hours after we drank all the alcohol in Manchester, 48 hours later we behaved and we showed why we were the champions against that team.
“We showed what we have done with and without the ball. I didn't see one drop in our intensity and idea. They had chances, we had chances, we scored a goal, they scored a goal.
“Both teams want the ball, both teams want to press. The keepers are fundamental in this game. The quality they have, they are an exceptional team.”
