Mancini reckons Touré wants to quit Manchester City

Internazionale coach says he’ll ‘look into possibility’ of signing him

Roberto Mancini has suggested his former player Yaya Touré wants to quit Manchester City for a move to Italy.

Touré has been with City for five years and won the Premier League title under Mancini in 2012.

“Yaya Touré? He’s played in almost every league except for Germany and Italy,” the Internazionale coach said.

“If, as seems to be the case, he wants to try Serie A we’ll look into the possibility [of signing him] but it won’t be easy. He’s a player with incredible technical ability. I’ve not come across many like him.”

Touré, who also won the title with City last season, has played for clubs in Belgium, Ukraine, Greece and France but the most productive spell of his career was spent in Spain with Barcelona.

The midfielder won the Champions League, the World Club Cup, the Uefa Super Cup, two La Liga titles and one King’s Cup at the Camp Nou.

He threw his future at City into doubt at the end of last season by taking umbrage at the club’s lack of effort in congratulating him on his 31st birthday.

The midfielder’s agent, Dimitry Seluk, said at the time his client was “very upset” that none of his team-mates “shook his hand on his birthday” and the player was considering leaving.

Touré was also a pivotal member of the Ivory Coast team who won the Africa Cup of Nations last month.


Guardian