April 12 – The minute imperious central midfielder Yaya Toure got the news that Pep Guardiola would be replacing Manuel Pellegrini as manager at Manchester City in the summer, he knew his reign as one of the team’s pivotal superstars would be over.
Rewind back to 2010 and Guardiola sold Toure. He was surplus to requirements at Barca – Guardiola didn’t see Toure as the box-to-box, evasive, mobile midfielder he bases his team on.
After summer upon summer of Toure’s agent, Dmitri Seluk, stirring the pot, and looking for suitors willing to pay top dollar for the big Ivorian, it was inevitable it would end badly at some point. “We have waited too long,” Seluk told a Sky Sports journalist. “Manchester City promised a deal but nothing has materialised so Yaya will leave in June.” However, this time is looks unavoidable – there are too many external variables this time around, going against him. No longer is there an aura of invincibility surrounding the City vice-captain.
He even missed the recent quarterfinals of the Champions League where Pellegrini’s men faced a buoyant PSG at the Parc de Princes. With many media outlets predicting that there would be goals aplenty, the tie didn’t disappoint, even without the commanding Toure at the centre of all of City’s play. Kevin DeBruyne returned to the side, and with the media forecasting the trio of DeBruyne, David Silva and Sergio Aguero to nick a goal, or possibly even two they certainly delivered. City recorded an impressive 2-2 draw in Paris, and proved that they didn’t need Toure to overcome even the stiffest of European tests.
However, while it has been reported that Toure’s knee injury is the main reason for keeping him out of the PSG tie, it will be nights like tonight’s second leg Champions League quarter final against PSG this he will miss when his days at City come to an end. His career is far from over, but he could well choose money over club notoriety when he decides upon his next move. There’s a possibility he may rekindle his relationship with Roberto Mancini at Inter Milan – the two had a strong bond at City when the Italian managed at the Etihad. Although, money could be a stumbling block for the Italian club, which would open the door to a move to cash-rich China who have a seemingly bottomless pit when it comes to transfer revenues.
Either way, Toure won’t be without his suitors. He will be hard to replace at City – arguably someone like Juventus maestro Paul Pogba would be the obvious replacement for Toure, although he is said to be close to agreeing a new deal with Juve. What Toure’s departure will do is free up wages for a notable replacement, and free City of the constant drama that seems to come with the Ivorian and his loose-lipped agent.
Toure has one big contract left, which will probably see him go to China unless Mancini can persuade him otherwise. One thing is for sure; his days in the Premier League are numbered even if he has been one of the best central midfielders to grace the league since its rebranding in 1993.
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