Kolo Toure weighing future options

Liverpool F.C. defender Kolo Toure is reportedly considering his future after being offered a new one-year deal at Anfield.

According to reports, the former Côte d’Ivoire international, who retired from international football after winning the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year, wants to stay on Merseyside but is hoping to secure a two-year contract.

After the 2016/17 campaign, Toure is interested in entering management.

“It is an ambition of mine to be a manager,” Toure told the Liverpool Echo.

“I am doing my UEFA B badge right now but it takes time. I am focused on my game because I want to stay playing football for a few years.

“As an African, we need to have more African coaches because we need to take that responsibility.

“When you play at this level for big clubs you need to show that. Where? Maybe here, maybe back in Africa but I need to do something in football because that is what I love.

“I’ve learned so much from all the managers I’ve worked with over the course of my career. They’ve all said they thought I’d be a manager one day.”

Toure has made 18 appearances in all competitions, including 10 in the English Premier League, for Liverpool this season.

Bowyer dismisses Rhodes exit rumours

Blackburn Rovers F.C. manager Gary Bowyer has rubbished reports linking Scotland international striker Jordan Rhodes will be sent out on loan this season.

Rhodes, 25, joined Rovers from Huddersfield Town in an £8 million deal in August 2012, and has since been linked with several Premier League sides.

Recent reports had suggested joint Championship leaders Derby County were looking to take Rhodes on loan to boost their chances of promotion to England’s top-flight, but Bowyer has brushed aside such speculation.

“He’s a valuable member of our squad. He scores goals. We haven’t given up hope of the play-offs ourselves so why would we want to even consider it?

“From a footballing point of view, we turned big money down for him in the summer so why we’d let him out on loan to potential rivals, I don’t know.

“He does exactly what he says on the tin – scores goals. He contributes massively to our squad and we haven’t got that many numbers anyway so we wouldn’t want to be loaning anyone else out.”

Rhodes, formerly of Ipswich Town, Oxford United, Rochdale and Brentford, has bagged 13 goals and two assists in 34 league appearances for Rovers in 2014/15.