Kolo Toure Follows Adebayor to Manchester City
Kolo Toure Follows Adebayor to Manchester City
After more than nine months of speculation, Arsenal’s Ivorian centre-back Kolo Toure has followed in the footsteps of his former teammate, Adebayor by signing for Manchester City. The transfer was finalized just hours after Toure captained Arsenal in a friendly against hungarian side Szombathelyi Haladas. Toure will move to Eastlands on a £15 million transfer fee and has signed a contract worth £120,000 per week, twice his earning in North London.
Toure is set to play for Manchester City this season despite his brother Yaya wanting his older sibling to stay with the Gunners, “The most important thing for my brother is that he can play with a big team… Arsenal play great football and City are not there yet.”
Hughes has been looking to bolster his defence after making big-money signings in both midfield and attack. Toure was City’s third choice centre-back; Mark Hughes made his bid for the Arsenal defender only after his offers for Chelsea’s John Terry and Everton’s Joleon Lescott were rejected.
Toure’s exits adds uncertainty to the Arsenal defence as their erstwhile skipper William Gallas could trail the twenty-eight year-old out of Arsenal. French international has rejected a contract extension and has been offered to Italian side Lazio. The Gunners look to sell Gallas this summer to ensure that they do not loose him next summer when his current contract expires.
Arsenal players remain hesitant over their top four chances this season, after selling several players but only strengthening their squad with one signing, Belgian defender Thomas Vermaelen, and planning to rely heavily on their youngsters. Arsene Wenger may make one more transfer this summer, most recently linked with Roma striker Mirko Vucinic to replace Adebayor in the attack. Arsenal’s January signing Andrey Arshavin expects stiff competition toward the top of league; he said, “Manchester City, Everton, Aston Villa and Tottenham will join the contest, as well as Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea.”
