Earlier this year, Uefa published a detailed report of escalating debt levels across clubs in Europe that, for the Premier League, made alarming reading. Clubs in England’s top division, it seems, owe more money than all the other clubs in Europe’s top divisions put together; 56% to be exact. The sad case of Portsmouth’s enforced administration last season only highlights the dangers of allowing debts to spiral out of control. Whilst virtually every other club in the Premier League preaches prudence and looks at ways of bringing down budgets, the Abu Dhabi cash cow that is Manchester City simply marches ominously on.
Just when their fans were coming to terms with the news of David Silva’s arrival (a deal, as previously mentioned, mainly down to Valencia’s own ridiculous level of debt ) Roberto Mancini nipped back over to Spain to pick yet another big-name summer signing, with Yaya Toure joining the club from Barcelona in a deal around the region of £30m. However, as it seems to increasingly be the case with City these days, it is not the on-field aspect of the deal that has made headlines; Toure, it seems, will go down in history as the first player in the Premier League to earn more than £200K a week…
The 27 year old defensive midfielder had been linked with a move away from the Nou Camp for a couple of seasons now; ever since Pep Guardiola took over from Frank Riikjard and promoted Sergio Busquets from the club’s youth system, Toure’s first-team place has been under threat. His minutes on the pitch were lessening with every season, and last season the Ivorian mustered a mere thirteen starts in all competitions, including just nine full 90 minute La Liga appearances for the champions.
City boss Mancini could barely hide his delight upon completion of the deal, declaring:
“This is another fantastic signing for Manchester City, and I am very pleased Yaya has joined us, he is a very good player. Everyone knows Yaya is a player that we have admired for a long time, and we would like to welcome him to Manchester City. He has played at the top level with Barcelona and I am sure he his experience and ability will be very important for us.”
Toure, on the other hand, gave a rather interesting reason for his move, saying:
“This is a dream come true…I have always wanted to play for the same club as my brother. It’s great for our family.”
The Statistics
Opinion…
Big Dunc
“Despite being better known for his holding midfield duties at Barcelona, Yaya plays a much more attacking role at International level and so cannot be written off as a fantasy prospect just yet.
It will be interesting to see where he slots into the side; with De Jong and Barry also in contention, it’s possible he will be pushed up further up field and pick up some attacking points as a result.
If that happens he could be a snip at 5.5 in FPL, but it’s another case of wait and see, I’m afraid.”
Toure began his professional career with the Belgian club Beveren, playing 70 games, scoring 3 goals and making two assists over the space of two and a half years. He then seemed to develop a nomadic streak over the next few seasons. Firstly he moved to the Ukraine, turning out for Metalurh Donestsk for a couple of seasons, scoring 3 goals in 33 appearances.
He then moved to Olympiacos, but not before a trial at Arsenal, where Arsene Wenger declined the chance to sign him. Toure’s time in Greece lasted just one season, with 19 appearances and 3 goals to his name before he packed his bags and headed to Monaco. Again staying just the one season, he played 27 games, returning 5 goals and 7 assists before Barcelona paid around £10m for his services.
Toure went on to play 74 league games for the La Liga side, managing 4 goals and five assists along the way. He also starred in 32 European games, grabbing just the 1 goal as a return. During his time in Spain, Toure won two La Liga titles and was a key member of the squad that won 6 trophies in what was a clean sweep in Guardiola’s first year in charge, including the Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup. He has also starred 53 times for his country, scoring 6 goals.
The Prospects
It’s pretty much a given that the new man will slot straight into defensive midfield for City, but his arrival only bloats the number of players capable of playing the same position to a ridiculous level: Patrick Viera, Nigel de Jong, Vincent Kompany and Gareth Barry makes it five. Add Stephen Ireland and Michael Johnson to the equation and it‘s clear an central midfield Eastlands exodus will surely soon be underway.
Formation-wise, chances are Mancini will play either 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 next season, so it seems Toure will either be sitting with one other alongside, or anchoring a couple of more offensive centre midfielders, dependant on the shape. What seems strange is that the club still clearly lacks a true creator in the middle of the park, though if recent rumours of a move for Mikel Arteta prove true, City are clearly determined to rectify the situation.
With the club also apparently determined to prise James Milner away from Aston Villa, it’s becoming alarmingly clear that the money-no-object policy means they are prepared to overhaul their first team season after season in an attempt to purchase success.
Fantasy-wise, Toure will probably offer little attacking return, given his position. However, certain defensive midfielders, such as Barry Ferguson and Javier Mascherano, were good for Bonus Points last term -31 & 23 respectively- and Toure will no doubt pick up his fair share this season, too. Fantasy Premier League (FPL) has priced him at £5.5m, which is relatively cheap, but there are plenty more attacking players from lower down the division around the same price range who will offer better chance of returns.