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| Guardiola Plans 'Beautiful Farewell' for Yaya Toure |
Pep Guardiola has confirmed long-serving midfielder Yaya
Toure will leave Manchester City next month after eight successful seasons with
the Premier League champions.
The
Ivory Coast international turns 35 on the last day of the current campaign and
has been a key part of City's rise to prominence under their wealthy Abu Dhabi
owners.
Toure
is out of contract at the end of the season and, as had been widely expected,
he will not be offered a new deal by Guardiola.
The
City manager was adamant, however, that Toure will receive a memorable send-off
when the club end their home campaign against Brighton next week, an indication
of his contribution to the cause over nearly a decade.
Even
though he has found his opportunities scaled down this season, having been
limited to nine appearances off the bench in the Blues' title-winning campaign,
Toure will still qualify for his third Premier League winner's medal.
"He
will not stay after this season," Guardiola said on Friday (May 4).
"The
Brighton game we will give him what he deserves. One of the most beautiful
farewells a player can receive.
"We
will be focused on winning the game against Brighton for Yaya, and we are going
to try to do it for him."
Toure's
spell with City, since signing from Barcelona for £24 million in July 2010, has
seen him win with three League Cups and an FA Cup, in addition to his trio of
Premier League crowns.
But
Guardiola said his influence extended far beyond simple on-field success.
"We
have amazing facilities but the club became what they did because of the
players," he explained.
"Yaya
Toure came here when this idea for the club started, and what we are in this
moment is thanks to what this guy has done. We cannot forget the period from
Roberto Mancini, and especially Manuel Pellegrini.
"Yaya
was the key, key, key, key, key, key player. That's why we are delighted to
prepare for Sunday's game, for our celebration, and after for Yaya."
Guardiola
will finally get his hands on the Premier League trophy following the league
game with struggling Huddersfield on Sunday.
England
is the third different country in which he has led a club to the league title
following successes in Spain and Germany with Barcelona and Bayern Munich
respectively.
But the
goal of winning the Champions League proved beyond City this season, although
Guardiola insisted he felt no frustration this week when their quarter-final
conquerors, Liverpool, reached the final.
"Believe
me, I'd like to be in the final of the Champions League, a lot," said
Guardiola.
"But
Liverpool deserve to be there and Real Madrid (their opponents in the final).
"It's not about the different competitions, the Premier
League is about consistency.
"In cup games, anything can happen. We lost against
Wigan in the FA Cup."
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