Does Yaya Toure have a future at Manchester City?

Veteran midfielder Yaya Toure has been left out of Manchester City’s Champions League squad

Yaya Toure has been a great player for Manchester City, but the Ivorian midfielder may just be facing up to the fact that he has no future at the club.

The 33-year-old has been left out of all the clubs match day squads so far and also City’s Champions League squad.

Toure’s agent Dmitri Selcuk has never been one to keep his own council and he has plenty to say about the midfielder’s omission from the Champions League squad.

Toure has been humiliated by Guardiola

Selcuk talking about Toure’s situation told the Sunday Mirror: “If he wins the Champions League for City this season then I will travel to England and I will say on television that Pep Guardiola is the best manager in the world,”

“But if City doesn’t win the Champions League then I hope that Pep has got the balls to say that he was wrong to humiliate a great player like Yaya. This is Pep’s decision and we must respect it. Yaya is a professional and so he will do everything he is asked to do.

“Perhaps Pep will think he is good enough to play in the final 10 minutes of a League Cup game against a third division team – and, yes, I am joking.

“But what I can tell you is that Yaya will spend the season at City. He will not be leaving in January. He hopes that he will get the chance to prove himself.”

It sounds like Toure is staying at the club for the season, but according to reports Guardiola has told Toure that he needs to improve his work-rate if he is going to force his way into the squad.

Hard work has never been Toure’s strong point and at 33-years-old he is unlikely to improve that aspect of his game.

Not the same impact as early City career

In the last few seasons, Toure has struggled to make the same impact he did in his first couple of campaigns when his driving runs from midfield and attacking threat defined City’s play.

He made 32 Premier League appearances last season, scoring six times and producing five assists for the Citizens. It is a decent return, but there is no denying that age may just be catching up with the midfielder.

Toure has played at the pinnacle of the game for both Barcelona and Manchester City for a long time and maybe time is getting the better of the midfielder.

Niggling injuries are always going to affect a player’s body more in his thirties than his twenties and that could be a big factor in Toure’s slightly downturn in form in the past few seasons.

Guardiola does not respect reputations

Yaya Toure has a big reputation at Manchester City, but Pep Guardiola is no respecter of reputations, just ask Joe Hart. If he does not believe that a player fits into his plan the Catalan will simply not play him and eventually sell him.

Guardiola was the boss that sold Toure while at Barcelona. The City chief was also the man that dispensed with the services of brilliant Brazilian Ronaldinho and talented Portuguese playmaker Deco at Barcelona, as he did not see them as part of his plan.

Guardiola is a ruthless operator when it comes to building a team. He always seems to have a plan and at the moment Yaya Toure does not fit into that plan.

It seems the bookmakers believe that the Catalan bosses plan will work this season, as the Citizens are favourites to win the Premier League title at odds of 7/5.

Whether Toure takes part in the Guardiola’s quest for Premier League glory at any point looks highly doubtful. Once a player is out of the City bosses thoughts, it is very hard to get back in.

Toure’s agent seems to believe that Toure can fight his way back into the team this season. However, at 33-years-old it will be highly difficult for the midfielder to push himself further physically in the pursuit of a first-team place at City.

Selcuk may have stated that Toure is at City for the season, but if he is then he may well find himself sitting in the stands for the next nine months.

Does Yaya Toure have a future at Manchester City?