Welcome: Kolo Toure with City boss Mark
Hughes
Manchester City failed with a £19million bid for
Everton's Joleon Lescott on Wednesday night after completing the
signing of Kolo Toure from Arsenal.
Manager Mark Hughes showed his determination to beef up his
options at the back with an increased offer for the England man
after an earlier £15m deal was rejected.
An Everton statement read: 'We can confirm we have received an
offer of £18million for Joleon Lescott from Manchester City and
that offer has been rejected outright.'
Hughes has also given Nedum Onuoha a new five-year contract.
Barry, a £12m signing from Aston Villa and candidate for the
City captaincy, was carried off amid fears he had suffered a
serious injury but later walked unaided to his car after it was
discovered he had suffered only bruising.
Shake on it: Arsenal defender Kolo Toure arrives in
Manchester to undergo a medical ahead of his £15million switch to
Manchester City
That left Hughes to carry on with the more pleasurable tasks of
completing the £15m transfer of Toure, 28. The Ivorian, who will
earn £90,000 a week, became City's sixth summer signing after
passing a medical yesterday and Hughes said: 'It is no secret that
I have been looking to strengthen the defence, and in Kolo I feel
we have recruited a world-class player. He brings a wealth of
Premier League experience.
'Kolo has been a central figure in a very strong Arsenal
team for many years, and I have been an admirer of him for a long
time. He is strong, quick, reads the game well and will be an
influential figure in the dressing room.'
Toure said: 'It's always difficult to leave a place where you
have spent the last eight years and had good times but I felt the
time was right for a new challenge. I am at an age, 28, where I
feel I am at my peak and will play my best football.'
Hughes will be happy, too, with Onuoha's commitment, which will
see him earn £65,000 a week. He is one of the most promising and
popular players in the dressing room.
Hughes was impressed with how he slipped in at centre half last
season after Micah Richards was moved to right back and also with
his showing for England in the European Under 21 Championship in
Sweden.
