Man City as we know are ‘doing a Chelsea’ this summer – albeit on a much bigger financial scale – trying to buy everything that moves. They’ve already captured the signatures of David Silva and Yaya Toure, two players previously linked to us this summer. Mind you, in the case of Toure, just as it worked out with Robinho, it looks like we’ve had a lucky escape!
I guess for both Silva, who’d flirted with United and Chelsea in the press this summer, and Toure, who’d previously suggested City weren’t a big enough club for his signature before he sold them exactly that, they would’ve been prepared to go wherever the money was, but whilst City might have that in abundance, they don’t exactly have the pedigree.
They seem to be trying to replicate what happened at Chelsea following Abramovich’s arrival – but without putting the foundations in first – no domestic silverware, no Champions League football, certainly no experience of competing in the top four – and as we all know, without the foundations, it’s only a matter of time before everything starts to crumble and fall down.
If Chelsea couldn’t keep a player like Joe Cole, with 25 games in a season where he was clearly off his game after coming back from an injury, how on earth will City keep players who couldn’t care less about the club in the first place? And as if to answer that question, £24million signing Yaya Toure tells us in no uncertain terms he doesn’t plan on staying anyway.
Before the ink had even dried on his £200,000-per-week contract, Toure was vowing to play for Barcelona again. Referring to his former club as ‘the club of my life’, City’s latest signing says “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. 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. I want to thank everyone for what they have done for me. The people of Barcelona are very good who know much about football . I have no words to apologise to all the people who wanted me to stay.”
So, despite demanding to leave Barcelona – Robinho style – Toure, just like Robinho, doesn’t seem either convincing or convinced that he could care less who he’s signed for. And so you’d have suspected anyway that just like the Brazilian, he wouldn’t last out his lucrative contract.
Just in case there was any doubt though, Toure makes it crystal clear stating “I go to City to help them grow and take them to the level of Manchester United and Chelsea. However, I am convinced that someday I shall return to Spain. My heart is Barca and someday I will wear this shirt again, I am sure of that. Barca is the club of my life.”
Like I said, another lucky escape.
Blue is the colour
