Pep can call Yaya – Toure´s agent flags City exit

Yaya Toure is likely to leave Manchester City at the end of the season due to Pep Guardiola’s impending appointment, the Ivorian’s agent Dimitry Seluk has claimed.

Toure and Guardiola worked together at Barcelona between 2008 and 2010 before the midfielder moved to the Premier League.

City on Monday confirmed Guardiola will replace Manuel Pellegrini as head coach in 2016-17.

Seluk has made no secret of his disdain for Guardiola in the past, claiming he lacked “balls” after leaving Barca in 2012, as well as claiming his grandfather would have won the same trophies as the former Spain international at Camp Nou and with current club Bayern Munich.

And a day after learning of Guardiola’s impending arrival at City, Seluk told The Sun: “I think Yaya will leave the club. But before leaving I hope he will win again the league and all the cups.

“It’s not a question of whether Pep likes him or not. It’s life, you know.

“Pep can call Yaya and speak to him to let him know ‘I’m with you’ or ‘I am not with you’.”

Director of football Txiki Begiristain and chief executive Ferran Soriano moved from Camp Nou to City in 2012, something Seluk believes would not have happened without Toure’s presence.

“Yaya opened the door for the people who worked for Barcelona,” Seluk said. 

“Yaya went to a place where many changes were necessary. He was not afraid. But now everybody from Barca comes to City.

“Yaya won every trophy in England without Guardiola. Will Guardiola win without Yaya?”