Toure desperate to regain place

Manchester City defender Kolo Toure has revealed he turned down a lucrative offer from Turkey to stay at Etihad Stadium and fight for his place.



Toure has slipped down the pecking order at City following the form of club captain Vincent Kompany and Joleon Lescott last season.

But despite being tempted by offers from elsewhere, he says he was too settled in England to make the move.



He told the Manchester Evening News: “There were other clubs in for me in the summer, but I love England.



“Some good Turkish clubs came in with good offers but I want to stay at the top, play in the Premier League and prove I am still one of the best defenders out there.”



City look even stronger at the back this season, bringing in young centre-back Matija Nastasic from Fiorentina, with Stefan Savic leaving for Florence in return.



And despite starting against Liverpool and in the recent 4-2 League Cup defeat to Aston Villa, Toure is regarded as being behind Nastasic in Roberto Mancini’s thinking – with the Serbian given his first start against Real Madrid in the Champions League.



But although cutting a frustrated figure at Eastlands, the Ivory Coast international is determined to fight for his place.



“Since I came back from the problem I had I have been fourth choice every time, and that has been really difficult,” Toure said. 



“It is hard to come in and give your best.

 I feel I can still get into the team.

“Ask anybody – every day at training I give everything. Joleon and Vincent have been fantastic and deserve their place, but it’s much harder when a young player comes and steps in front of you.



“It’s hard, but that is the manager’s choice and what can I do? I need to work hard and that is all right by me.



“Sometimes I am not on the bench and that is not easy, but it’s up to me to prove to the manager that I am still one of the best.”