Yaya Toure
The two clubs should finalise the deal today with Toure ready to
become the first big transfer of the summer subject to a
medical.
City doctors are heading to South Africa to meet Toure who is
preparing for the Ivory Coast's clash with Brazil on Sunday.
The midfielder will sign a four-year deal worth £6m per season
and join up with his brother Kolo at Eastlands.
Toure has long been a target for City who first tried to nab him
18 months ago. Back then Toure decided to sign a new deal and stay
at the Nou Camp. But he became disgruntled last season as Barca
boss Pep Guardiola left him on the bench, preferring to start with
Sergio Busquets.
His agent Dmitry Seluk insists most of the key figures at Barca
want Toure to stay, but his lack of games under Guardiola has been
a major problem.
Seluk said: "The president Joan Laporta, the incoming president
Sandro Rosell, Guardiola, myself... we all want him to stay at
Barcelona - it's one of the greatest clubs in the world.
"Everything is perfect except for one thing - playing 65 per
cent of the minutes is not sufficient for a player like Yaya, but
that's the only reason we want to go."
Seluk did, though, admit he would have a chat with Rosell "out
of courtesy" before completing any move for his client. He added:
"I have to know his opinion because he is the new president."
Toure, 27, is one of the world's top defensive midfielders and
snapping him up is a major coup for City.
In the past he's been a target for Arsenal and recently Chelsea
also tried to reach a deal with Barcelona.
