On this day in 2010: Manchester City sign Yaya Toure from Barcelona
The signing of the then 28-year-old was City’s second of the week following the capture of David Silva from Valencia.
Manchester City announced the signing of Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure from Barcelona on a five-year deal on this day in 2010.
The signing of the then 28-year-old was City’s second of the week following the capture of David Silva from Valencia and united Toure with his brother Kolo, the club captain.
Toure, who signed for a fee of around £24million, won the Champions League with Barca in 2009 and was insistent his new side would soon be contesting for the same title.
“I’m very happy to sign for Manchester City,” Toure told the club’s official website.
“I love the Premier League and I watch it all the time and City did very well to finish fifth (in the 2009-10 season), but I hope we can improve on that by qualifying for the Champions League.
“This is a big club and that has to be our first objective and then we have to look at winning championships as well.”
The capture of Toure took City’s spending that summer beyond £60m following the £10.5m signing of Jerome Boateng from Hamburg and the arrival of Silva from Valencia for a reported £24m.
Toure, who also won two LaLiga titles in his three years at the Nou Camp, was pleased to be linking up with Kolo, the defender and team captain.
He said: “This is a dream come true, I have always wanted to play for the same club as my brother and I’m so happy that it has finally happened.
“It’s great for our family, we’re all so happy about it. Kolo told me it’s an amazing time for the club and a very exciting project. They want to make some big signings, and I needed a big challenge.”
Toure went on to become one of City’s most influential figures and helped them win three Premier League titles, two League Cups and one FA Cup before leaving in the summer of 2018.
