West Ham United have been linked with a move for Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure as they look for “game-changer” signings this summer.
Manchester City’s Yaya Toure during training
The Ivorian looked certain to leave the Etihad this summer despite featuring more regularly after being frozen out by Pep Guardiola earlier this season.
Toure’s agent revealed just two weeks ago that he was not aware of a new contract being offered to the midfielder by the club and claimed he had not heard anything from City for two months.
Speculation has been rife over Toure’s next move with the Hammers heavily linked, as reported by the likes of the Daily Mail.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola greets West Ham manager Slaven Bilic
Slaven Bilic was reportedly keen to beef up his midfield with the big 33-year-old with the former Barcelona star’s contract set to run out next month.
But the Citizens announced today that Toure has penned a new one-year deal at the club putting an end to interest from East London and elsewhere.
It is another high profile name the Hammers have allegedly missed out on.
Guardiola banished Toure from his squad at the start of his City tenure
But have they in actual fact dodged a bullet.
Toure would undoubtedly have commanded a huge wage which could have proved unsettling to other members of the squad, particularly given his advancing age.
West Ham United’s Jose Fonte is 34 next season
At 33, it would have pushed the average age of West Ham’s team up further still with James Collins, Pablo Zabaleta and Jose Fonte 33, 32 and 33 respectively and turning 34, 33 and 34 respectively next season.
Another potential issue would have been his unpredictable attitude with the player in and out of the City squad at times this season and often accused of not pushing himself in some games.
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