Will Yaya Toure leave Manchester City this summer?

The agent of Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure claims that the Ivory Coast international is open to offers this summer, after he clinched his first Premier League title as a City player.

This news won’t be welcomed at the Etihad Stadium.

Outstanding

Yaya Toure has been one of the driving force in the Manchester City team this season.

In fact the last few seasons he has played a big role in City’s progression as a team. Toure is quite simply one of the most influential players in the English top flight.

Missed

When Yaya Toure went away to the Africans Cup of Nations in January Manchester City looked like a different team. They went through a run of results which proved the importance of the 29 year-old to the team.

If he did leave City it would be a major blow, no matter who the champions sign to replace him. City may have a lot of money but it doesn’t necessarily mean they can keep their best players. The likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona are still regarded as the glamour teams to play for.

It’s a bit ironic really that Manchester City have all this money to buy other teams best players and they may not be able to keep one their best players.

Motivations

Toure’s agent Dimitri Seluk revealed that Toure could head for number of major European clubs this summer. He told the Sun newspaper: “ He has done all he can do at City and he needs new motivations,”

“Toure could sign for many big clubs like Chelsea and Bayern Munich. Also, we would like to see Barca join the race. I have not spoken to Barca but they know the situation”.

In normal circumstances you would say that the player was moving on for more money. However, he is one of the highest paid players, if not the highest paid player in the Premier League, so a move wouldn’t be motivated by finances.

Return

A return to Barcelona seems like an unlikely move but you just never know in football. The midfielder spent three years in Catalonia before he secured his big money switch to City. It seems that Toure would like a return to the Nou Camp but is keeping his options open.

Change

Whenever I remember seeing Toure in a Barca shirt he was more of an anchorman in midfielder. Since his move to City though he seems to have played a more attacking role, marauding forward at every opportunity and causing problems in opposition defences.

Toure seems to have become a more complete player since leaving Barcelona. He often switches from a defensive midfield role to an attacking midfield role mid-game and the shift has been a game changer for City on numerous occasions this season.

Problem

The problem Manchester City have is that at the moment history is not on their side. The Citizens may have just clinched the Premier League title but the likes of Manchester United, Real Madrid and Barcelona still have more illustrious histories.

Manchester City may be regarded in the same breath as the above teams in a few years. They are trying to build something special at the Etihad Stadium and they have a long-term vision of where the club is going.

However, most players will still be attracted to the glamour of La Liga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona, because they have displayed in recent years that they are arguably the two best teams in European football.

Striker Sergio Aguero has also been linked with a move to Real Madrid. I don’t think that City can stop their best players leaving, even they are the richest club in the world.

Spine

This season Manchester City have been the best team in the Premier League and Toure has been the heart of the team. Through the middle of the spine of that team four players have been crucial, Joe Hart, Vincent Kompany, Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero.

Should Manchester City lose any of those players they will find them really hard to replace. However, I believe that losing Yaya Toure this summer would be the biggest blow and by all accounts that is a realistic possibility.

Will Yaya Toure leave Manchester City this summer?

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