West Ham United target Abdoulaye Toure looks all-but certain to leave Nantes this summer, with the former captain admitting to Ouest France that he might have lost his beloved armband.
A matter of days after BuzzSport suggested that The Canaries would not stand in Toure’s way if the homegrown hero had his head turned by the lure of the Premier League, his future is more uncertain than ever.
The 26-year-old had risen through the ranks at Nantes before being rewarded with the captaincy.
But, with veteran defender Nicolas Pallois spotted wearing the armband during a pre-season friendly clash last week, it seems that Toure has been robbed of his role as his club’s designated leader.
“You have to ask the coach this question, but even if I have to stay (at Nantes), I may no longer wear the armband this season,” the former France U20 international explains.
It seems that the player himself has been left in the dark somewhat.
Having been stripped of an armband he wore with such pride throughout the 2019/20 season, who could blame Toure for wanting to try his hand at something new.
West Ham were linked with the £12.5 million-rated enforcer in January and, despite the permanent signing of Czech sensation Tomas Soucek, David Moyes would surely relish the opportunity to add extra quality to a midfield short of depth.
Captain fantastic Mark Noble is 33 after all, while both Carlos Sanchez and Jack Wilshere might never don that claret and blue kit again.
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