Is Toure’s New City Deal a Mistake?

When it was announced recently that Yaya Tore had signed a new contract to extend his stay at Man City, team-mates and pundits alike took to the press to express their admiration for the 34-year-old.

Toure’s City colleague Raheem Sterling was particularly impressed with the news. “The way he controls the game is brilliant and he is so composed on the ball,” he said.

“He can play wherever and whenever he wants. He’s a machine.”

Sadly, it could be argued that it’s less of the “wherever” and more of the “whenever” from the statement that rings true to many.

Toure’s very public falling out with manager Pep Guardiola shortly after the Spaniard’s arrival seemed to drag on forever, though the player appeared somewhat less at fault for that than his agent, Dimitri Seluk, did.

That whole argument basically became a game of “he said, he said”, with the player apparently upset that the club didn’t wish him a happy birthday – so of course he wanted to leave – among the most outrageous of statements in the entire debacle.

It all began when Seluk claimed Toure had been humiliated after the Ivorian’s omission from City’s Champions League squad – a move which admittedly seemed a bit bizarre. Guardiola had claimed that Toure was a good guy and it was difficult to leave him out, but Seluk took it to a personal level by stating that Guardiola doesn’t like players with personality. Pep demanded an apology, and waited for it.

Of course, as time passed Toure did eventually come out and make that apology. He was soon back in the City team and performed better than he arguably has done in years. That form was rewarded recently with a new one-year contract extension. However, this move could prove to be a mistake.

During Toure’s exile from the squad, City had managed to keep pace at the top of the table. His goalscoring return at Crystal Palace – which had allowed City to scrape a 2-1 win – ensured they sat third, just a single point behind Chelsea. Unfortunately, after that time, City began to struggle much more than many expected.

While it could be argued that Guardiola has had a disappointing first season in England, prickly interviews and all, it can’t be understated that they were keeping pace at the top until Toure managed to get himself back into the team. The first three months had been solid, but the six that followed Toure’s return to first team action saw them admittedly still finish third, but 15 points behind eventual winners Chelsea.

That spell included a dismal 4-0 defeat at Goodison Park, and City didn’t seem able to compete with the other “big” clubs when placed on the same pitch. Losses to Chelsea, Liverpool, a draw at home to Spurs and a 4-2 defeat at the home of then-champions Leicester – who weren’t having a great season at that stage – proved that City still have much improving to do.

While Toure’s contribution to past success at the Etihad Stadium cannot be debated, this season he has been unable to – at the very least – get his team-mates up a gear, and get them competing in matches they really should be looking at winning if they have any aspirations of lifting another Premier League title.

Not to mention the fact that as soon as anything has gone slightly awry he has seemed more than eager to try and find the exit door. That isn’t passion for the club who pay his wages – it is a passion for number one.

That is why his new contract could well prove to be a mistake – admittedly it is only for one year, but with the wages he is on it should surely have been considered that they could have been spent on a player in a similar mould, of younger years and perhaps of greater passion for the shirt he is wearing. Preferably with an agent slightly less of a firecracker who won’t start speaking the moment anything goes wrong.

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