Yaya Toure has admitted he would love to play
alongside his brother Kolo at Arsenal. The Gunners are being
strongly linked with a move for the Barcelona midfielder - who
could be surplus to requirements next year with Pep Guardiola
taking over from Frank Rijkaard.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is no stranger to the younger Toure -
indeed he spent time on trial at the club in 2002 but a deal was
not struck and The Gunners' then Belgian feeder club Beveren sold
him to Ukraine outfit Metalurg Donetsk.
Toure, 25, has since moved up and up through his career with
Olympiakos, Monaco and now Barca. A move to link up with brother
Kolo - who is a huge fan of his younger sibling - has always been
mooted and now it appears a deal could be on the cards.
With Mathieu Flamini leaving the club and doubts arising over
Alexander Hleb - Wenger needs quality midfield reinforcements and
Toure junior could be the man. And the player himself admits he
would jump at the chance to move to Emirates Stadium.
"I am aware of the interest from the Premier League," he told
skysports.com. "But I can't say anything yet - however it
would be great to play in a big team with my brother, it would be
fantastic but you never know."
Toure admits it has been a difficult first season in Catalunya -
with Barca failing to win any silverware. "Our season was very
difficult and for us it is very painful - we are winners and it is
difficult," he continued. "We have so many great players, we don't
understand how we are so far behind Real Madrid.
"I want to let the fans know how much we care about this great
team, it is the dream of all the players to wear the blaugrana
shirt." Guardiola is due to succeed Rijkaard in the summer and
Spanish reports claim that this could be bad news for Toure - but
he admits to being a fan of the Barca legend.
"He was one of my favourite players," he enthused. "He is a
playmaker in front of the defence, he plays football like it should
be played - I loved watching him when I was in the academy learning
my trade."
Looking ahead to the UEFA Champions League final, Toure admits
he will be cheering on fellow countrymen Didier Drogba and Salomon
Kalou. "My head says Manchester United, they were excellent against
us," he said. "Cristiano Ronaldo, Tevez, Rooney, if fit, with
Ferdinand and Vidic at the back - they will win - but my heart says
Chelsea because of the Ivorian connection.
"Kalou and Drogba are my friends and I want them to win, they
would be the first Ivorians to win Champions League medals."