Toure - playing time key to City move | Manchester Evening News

Toure - playing time key to City move

July 05, 2010

Yaya Toure

New Manchester City signing Yaya Toure admits he was sad to leave Barcelona but says he will return to the Catalan club one day.

City paid Barcelona around £27.5million for the defensive midfielder, who will reportedly become the highest-paid player in the Barclays Premier League.

Nevertheless, Toure says the decision to leave Barcelona was a difficult one.

"The decision to leave was complicated because Barca is the team of my whole life," he told radio station RAC-1.

"It was a sad decision because everybody wants to come to Barca and I have had to leave, but not playing has been difficult and it wouldn't have been normal to just sit on the bench and pick up the money."

Toure, who will link up with his brother Kolo at City, says his agent, Dimitri Seluk, was instrumental in the move.

"He told me I had to leave," he said.

"I wanted to bring more joy to the fans, but life is like that. Barca is a great club with the best players in the world and I have played less in this third season, which for me has been difficult."

Nevertheless, Toure hopes to return to the Nou Camp one day.

"I don't feel that I'm away from Barca and I'm sure I'll go back one day," he said.

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The Pope, Rome (05/07/2010 at 11:28)

I'm sure Mr 10% gave you good advice Yaya !

Blue_heart (05/07/2010 at 11:41)

Well you can't knock YaYa's honesty and let's remember that no doubt if Colin Bell (not that he would ever have left) had, had to do the same thing as YaYa, he would have also said the same glowing sorts of things about City.

I hope YaYa returns to Barca. with City soon and helps us Challenge for Champions League honours.

Until then, welcome YaYa I hope the City faithful and our Brilliant Blue Moon can change your heart and make you Bluer than Blue ASAP.

Nick Mooney (05/07/2010 at 12:03)

Blue Heart. Exactly. Gary Owen, for example, burst into tears when Allison sold him to WBA. However, being a cynic towards the M(U)EN, I have to question the reasonings behind and the actual point of the article, oe maybe I'm being paranoid. After all, they haven't an agenda have they?

Mancunian and Proud (05/07/2010 at 12:33)

Why is it that the MUEN never write a positive story about our beloved City? Always the same innuendo. Who informed the MUEN Ya Ya would be the Premier Leagues highest earner? The level of local journalism is appalling, do we have to read articles written by RAGS. Maybe its time for the paper to employ a local reporter. If like the MUEN keeps quoting that its a regional paper based in Manchester, not Trafford.

paulo jackson (05/07/2010 at 12:36)

if he don't want to be here get rid cancel the contract we want players that have there mind on man city not barcelona ffs!!!!

yaychi (05/07/2010 at 12:36)

What is going on? 220K forsomeone who can't get into the Barcelona team and doesn't really want to play for us. This is Robinho 2 in the making. Just wait for the day Mancici drops Kolo and Yaya refuses to play.

vuvuzela vinny, Manchester,England (05/07/2010 at 13:02)

To his credit Ya Ya has stated what most of us already knew, Not so much a career move, More a "Smash & Grab"

Pivo, Manchester (05/07/2010 at 13:03)

Toure, who will link up with his brother Kolo at City, says his agent, Dimitri Seluk, was instrumental in the move. "He told me I had to leave," he said.

I get a little nervous when I read comments like this. It's in an agent's best interest to keep moving his players around, it's how they earn their vastly overblown salaries - the majority are just parasites. A comment such as this by Yaya doesn't exactly provide a ringing endorsement about his decision to move to us. I have no problem about him saying he'd like to return to Barca one day, that's a natural thing to say when you've just left one of the biggest clubs in the world.

It would be nice to see the FA/Prem League setup an independent body with the sole responsibility of dealing with incoming & outgoing transfers so that we can remove these leeches from the game.

blueballs (05/07/2010 at 13:13)

What is it with people coming to city and talking about where they eventually want to be? Mancini wants to manage Italy and Toure wants to go back to Barca. Are City just some kind of gap year project? Let's get the real revolutionaries on board.

Nick Mooney (05/07/2010 at 13:26)

vuvuzela vinny, Manchester,England (05/07/2010 at 13:02)

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To his credit Ya Ya has stated what most of us already knew, Not so much a career move, More a "Smash & Grab"

Another rag that's hurting. I feel your pain. It must be terrible for you that we're shopping at the World's biggest clubs and you're dealing with fulham, watford, bolton etc..It's going to get worse for you too. Give the Samaritans a ring.

The Truth (05/07/2010 at 13:30)

He ain't guaranteed a start with us either but you can't blame the lad for not burning his bridges.

Thomas Maximilian Bates, Langley (05/07/2010 at 13:32)

Just waiting for Yaya's "I want to play for a big club" speech. What happened to to our "we will not be ripped off stance" Why are we still being mugged off? we should not be desperate, we have a very good squad on board already so why are we paying obscene money to players who really don't want to be here? We will drown in our wealth.

Evan Georgiou (05/07/2010 at 13:33)

I like the fact that he wants to "earn' his income.....I like the fact that he speaks positively about his previous employer unlike Petrov....I like the fact that he loves the fans and wants to bring them joy,unlike Robinho......I am not so sure that he is the highest paid player because his agent has already said that it would be no problem for City to meet his salary....I personally believe that his joining will get his brother's game back on track and he has the ability to be massive......

hmmm, here (05/07/2010 at 13:35)

He was talking to a Catalan radio station, of course he's going to talk about how great Barcelona is. Haven't you notice in 90% of interviews the question is actually an answer? The Spanish are even worse than we are for that.

He's never lived in Manchester, he has no connection with us yet other than a contract. He's given us the platitudes. But as the saying goes, money can't buy you love. If we want him to fall in love with Manchester City then it's our job as fans to make it amazing every time he steps out to play for us. Not going to be easy for someone coming from the Nou Camp. Play a part in the blue revolution and inspire the players.

Or, demand that he pays lip service because Sheikh Mansour gave him money, and then tell him to do one first time he has a bad day.

Which club do you want to be a part of?

Blue Jonesy, M20 (05/07/2010 at 13:58)

Good comments from Yaya. I always get annoyed when a player leaves and runs down the club (Petrov) - no class.

I get equally annoyed when a player comes and says its dream come true and within 90 mins are kissing the badge and declaring their love for the club. Maybe this guy is a little more genuine and his performances will have the integrity so badly missing by the likes of Robinho (who I would give one more chance to, to see how he fits with the new acquisitions btw)

Never Neglect The Soshe, fka M&B's Bedsheets (05/07/2010 at 14:24)

i seriously doubt he is on the wages that are being banded about at the minute so i wouldnt get too carried away.

the papers said viera was on a fortune and then in the same paper in a small article in a corner of the racing pages said that he was in fact one of the lowest earners in the premiership.

Moonboots (05/07/2010 at 14:38)

I think we need to get realistic. If we only allowed players that were City through and through to wear the shirt we'd be back in the third division. Whether we like it or not football is a circus and City, because of our financial position, are one of the star attractions for players these days.
It's a mutually benficial business agreement, not a love affair. Gone are the days of loyalty (when was the last time you went to a testimonial?)
Football's soul left long ago - we just have to accept this and enjoy what we've got while we can.

Nick Mooney (05/07/2010 at 14:39)

g1lly blue-Furthermore, what has the war in Afghanistan got to do with Manchester City and what they pay their staff and players. We still pay less out in wages than the red debtors and Chelsea. That's going to change, but I still find the analogy bizarre.

Esso Blue + "Magic Silva Bullet", Manchester (05/07/2010 at 14:59)

Yaya daba doo you red prehistoric mules over.

Andrew Shaw (05/07/2010 at 15:05)

Yes, he'll return to Barcelona when we are playing them in the champions league

Hands of Stone, Southside, Manchester UK (05/07/2010 at 16:46)

Im in agreement with manc and proud - little snide comments just thrown in there -

"City paid Barcelona around £27.5million for the defensive midfielder, who will reportedly become the highest-paid player in the Barclays Premier League.

Nevertheless, Toure says the decision to leave Barcelona was a difficult one."

How out of order is that muen: Im gettin seriously sick of it as are other blues!

Rita Fitton, Florida & Manchester (05/07/2010 at 16:57)

As long as you do the business for us thats okay by me. You will only go back to Barca if you prove worthy... I dont mind you showing them what a mistake they made.

BLUE BOY!! MANCHESTER NOT LONDON!!, Manchester (05/07/2010 at 16:58)

Not really what I want to hear - clubsick already - 220k a week ...

JOKE!

GLAZERS FOR LIFE

NUFF SAID!!

The Insider, CTID. (05/07/2010 at 17:35)

220K a wk , if you believe that you will believe anything, YaYa is class but David Silva is 10 times the player, so if YaYa is on that much per wk then David Silva must be on double that, just the rag papers trying to unsettle the team yet again, PURE BULLS*** !!! CTID BELIEVE.

Blue Balls, Napier, NZ (05/07/2010 at 18:17)

Don't sweat it guys we all no how the real interviews are never fully disclosed and remember this is how we got Carlos as all he want s to do is play football

Be positive.

Those MRI's are awesome,wonder if he like Messi was listening to Oasis lmao I had aturn in one when they found my golf ball sized kidney stone ... yes OUCH!!!

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