Although Roberto Mancini would love to take him to Inter Milan, Yaya Toure has revealed he intends to remain at Manchester City.
Mancini enjoyed a fine relationship with the Ivory Coast international during their time together at the Etihad Stadium, when they helped end a 35-year wait for silverware with an FA Cup triumph in 2011 which was then followed by the league title in 2012. The Italian was axed 12 months later, and he then went to Istanbul where he led Galatasaray to the Turkish Cup in 2014.
He has since returned to Inter, the club at which he won three Serie A titles and two Coppa Italia’s between 2004 and 2008. Having been told he has cash to spend on his squad this summer, the 50-year-old pulled off something of a coup last week when he sealed a £24.6million deal for Monaco ace Geoffrey Kondogbia, who had been chased by a host of clubs around Europe.
But the player Mancini craves most of all is undoubtedly Toure. The 32-year-old has flirted with the idea of leaving City in recent windows, as his agent has hinted of interest from several other clubs. Inter were widely expected to make a move for his signature before the start of the coming season, but the player has indicated the Italian giants would be better served looking elsewhere.
“It is very, very important as a person and as a football player as well when you see people are following you,” Toure told the Manchester Evening News of the support he enjoys from the City faithful. “It is difficult sometimes to disappoint them. The fans are doing brilliant for this club. When people show you loyalty, nothing is going by. That’s why I want to stay at City. I want to stay long.”
