NEW YORK: Yaya Toure has opened up on a turbulent summer in which he threatened to quit Manchester City for failing to celebrate his 31st birthday and then attacked the club for not giving him compassionate leave to visit his cancer-stricken brother.
The Ivory Coast star stopped short of saying sorry for the bizarre outbursts over City’s end-of-season trip to Abu Dhabi, but promised to stay at the Etihad “for as long as possible” and try to win over supporters by lifting more trophies this season.
Toure and his agent Dimitry Seluk stunned City in May by accusing the new Premier League champions of treating him like “a nobody” at a title celebration attended by owner Sheikh Mansour.
They warned that the birthday snub could force him to consider a return to Barcelona just a year after signing a new long-term contract worth £230,000 (RM1.15 million)-a-week, although it later transpired that City had presented him with not one but two birthday cakes.
Speaking on the club’s pre-season tour of America, Toure said: “It was not a case of me wanting to leave the club. I stayed quiet and at the end of the day it’s my decision. I will stay at Manchester City for as long as possible.
“The matter is closed now. The most important thing was to try to focus again. Now I’m very happy to join the team and the manager. Everyone is very positive.
“This year is going to be fantastic. We’ve got some fantastic players coming in and important players are staying. If you want to be the best you need to win every trophy possible, and the Champions League is a target this year.
“We know we are the team to beat. This year will be amazing because I’m expecting something – I’m expecting trophies this year.”
Toure launched a second outspoken attack on City last month, claiming that the Abu Dhabi trip had denied him valuable time at the bedside of his sick brother Ibrahim.
Club sources later insisted that they would never turn down requests from players for compassionate leave.
Meanwhile, Edin Dzeko has confirmed that he is in talks over a new contract at City and wants to extend his stay at the Etihad.
Dzeko was City’s second highest scorer with 26 goals last season as Manuel Pellegrini’s side regained the Premier League title but is entering the final 12 months of his contract.
However, the 28-year-old Bosnia striker is ready to follow Samir Nasri and Aleksandar Kolarov by signing a new long- term deal. Daily Mail