Toure says he will eventually return to Barcelona
He may have just signed to play soccer in the English Premier League with Manchester City, but Yaya Toure said in a radio interview he made the move only with great reluctance and that he wants to return to Barcelona eventually.
"The day of the signing [for City] was difficult for me. I was sad because in all those years I only had Barca in my head and now I'm out," said Toure.
"I'm very sorry because the club is the club in my heart. My time in Barcelona has been perfect. Here I have my best friends and always thought I would end my career here.”
He made the comments in an interview to the radio station RAC-1.
He went further, in words that might not win him many fans in Manchester, saying he would eventually want to return to his old club.
“I am convinced that some day I shall return to Spain. My heart is Barca and some day I will wear this shirt again, I am sure of that. Barca is the club of my life,” said Toure.
Days after big signing
Just days earlier, it was announced that Toure had signed with Manchester City, with the news leaking out on July 2.
If his fond memories and love of the fans made it difficult for him to leave Barca, he had plenty of financial incentive to go to Manchester, who reportedly are paying him $45 million over five years. That number, while unconfirmed, makes him the highest paid player in the English Premier League.
Toure is another part of Manchester City’s big money efforts to try and compete with their cross-town rivals, Manchester United. Manchester United, with its huge international profile, has long been by far the more successful club of the two, but City has made some key moves with their rivals clearly in mind. For all his talk about his heart staying in Barcelona, Toure did say he was committed to lifting his new team up to United’s level.
“I go to City to help them grow and take them to the level of Manchester United and Chelsea,'”he added.
It might be a tough task, with City having finished 5th in the 2009-2010 season compared to United’s 2nd place finish. But Toure will have help, as Robert Mancini has been overlooking the creation of a club capable of making it to the Champions League. Star German defender Jerome Boateng and Spanish standout David Silva both signed deals worth tens of millions combined.
Additionally, Mancini is said to have approached David Luiz and James Milner as well, showing that Man City’s new owners are willing to delve into their pocketbooks to build a powerhouse.
And if Toure will be feeling homesick, his brother Kolo, who also plays for Man City, will also help ease the transition to a new city and give Man City a chance to eclipse Manchester United.
Toure’s reluctant move
For now though, Toure’s words seems to confirm speculation that he was quite hesitant to move and only did so because of the fact he wasn’t getting a regular starting role, having lost that to Sergio Busquets.
"This year has been very difficult for me. Sitting on the bench and wait to play has been more complicated. I would prefer going to have to collect rent money from people who can't pay,” Toure said.
Toure has good reason to think well of Barca. Since joining in 2007, he’s had nothing but success with the team, having been part of a squad that won two Spanish League titles and a Champions League title in 2009.
Tags: