Inter Milan manager Roberto Mancini once again reiterated his desire to sign Manchester City star Yaya Toure, as rumours of a possible summer exit continue to swirl around the veteran midfielder.

Appearing on Sky Sport 24, the former City manager was asked about his interest in the Ivory Coast international and didn’t hide his feelings, via Goal:

Yaya Toure? Piero Ausilio [Inter’s sporting director] – put your hand in your pocket! I had Yaya at Manchester City and I think he is one of the best players in the world.

It’s not easy, though, because he’s at Manchester City, so it’s up to him and whether he wants to come and play in Italy, after playing in the other major European leagues.

He’d be a big signing not just for Inter but also for the Italian league’s prestige as a whole.

Inter have more appeal than many teams, though, so we’ll see what happens in the future, but he belongs to Manchester City at the moment.

The Italian previously suggested Inter could be moving for Toure, as reported by the Daily Mirror‘s Simon Mullock, and Mullock believes the 31-year-old is open to joining the Nerazzurri.

Toure’s relationship with current club City has been rocky the past year, to say the least. There was the odd row regarding his 31st birthday, via BBC Sport, followed by a poor start to the 2014-15 season.

The Ivorian’s play has gradually improved throughout the campaign, however. His importance to the Citizens’ system was highlighted by their string of poor results whenever the veteran wasn’t in the starting XI. As shared by Squawka Football, the numbers are almost embarrassing:

Toure remains one of the world’s most well-rounded midfielders, combining creativity and vision with a keen eye for goal and the physicality to be an excellent presence in front of the back four.

His scoring numbers often steal the headlines, via Sky Sports, but the former Barcelona man does far more than just score goals:

Selling Toure at this point in time sounds like madness, but at the same time, the AFCON winner is 31 years old and is playing on incredibly high wages, via the Daily Mail‘s Ian Ladyman.

Cashing in on the midfielder now before his performances start to deteriorate could be smart business. In the age of financial fair play, clearing over £200,000 worth of weekly wages off the books is a huge advantage. That money could go to securing a younger replacement.

Toure’s production is close to irreplaceable, but someone like Juventus‘ Paul Pogba would be a perfect fit. Like Toure, he’s a versatile, well-rounded midfielder with a penchant for scoring goals from long range. And Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Johnson thinks he could be moving to a new club very soon:

One more factor has to be taken into account—whether Toure is eager to start a new chapter or not. The Ivorian makes a ton of money at the Etihad Stadium but knows his level of play will start to drop very soon. A move to the slower Serie A could help prolong his career.

With so many variables influencing whether or not a transfer would be a good idea, manager Manuel Pellegrini faces a difficult decision. When the offer from Inter comes—and judging by Mancini’s comments, it will—will have to weigh Toure’s importance, via Grantland’s Mike L. Goodman, against the long-term outlook of the club:

Toure is a phenomenal player, showing little signs of slowing down. Conventional wisdom says you keep him around until he starts to deteriorate. But if Inter’s offer is significant, the temptation to sell and go all-in for someone like Pogba will be difficult to pass up.

Mancini continues to whet Toure’s appetite with constant promises he will bid for his former midfielder, and no one but the Ivorian knows how he feels about a potential move at this point. Fans better strap themselves in; this transfer saga could take over every headline in the country once the summer comes around.

 

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