Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure, left, controls the ball under pressure from Nigeria’s Chima Akas during their friendly at Zayed Sports City on Sunday January 11, 2015. The Ivory Coast won 1-0, with Salomon Kalou scoring the deciding goal in the 83rd minute. Wilfried Bony was not in the Ivory Coast squad as he awaited confirmation of his move from Swansea City to Manchester City. AFP
Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure, left, controls the ball under pressure from Nigeria’s Chima Akas during their friendly at Zayed Sports City on Sunday January 11, 2015. The Ivory Coast won 1-0, with Salomon Kalou scoring the deciding goal in the 83rd minute. Wilfried Bony was not in the Ivory Coast squad as he awaited confirmation of his move from Swansea City to Manchester City. AFP
Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure, left, controls the ball under pressure from Nigeria’s Chima Akas during their friendly at Zayed Sports City on Sunday January 11, 2015. The Ivory Coast won 1-0, with Salomon Kalou scoring the deciding goal in the 83rd minute. Wilfried Bony was not in the Ivory Coast squad as he awaited confirmation of his move from Swansea City to Manchester City. AFP
Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure, left, controls the ball under pressure from Nigeria’s Chima Akas during their friendly at Zayed Sports City on Sunday January 11, 2015. The Ivory Coast won 1-0, with

Sport

Former Chelsea player Salomon Kalou and Liverpool's Kolo Toure speak to Gary Meenaghan in Abu Dhabi.

Gary Meenaghan

January 12, 2015

  • English
  • Arabic

ABU DHABI // Ivory Coast striker Salomon Kalou says strike partner Wilfried Bony’s much-speculated move to Manchester City could lead City to the league title, even though it would be at the expense of former club Chelsea.

With Bony’s £28 million t(Dh156m) ransfer to the Etihad Stadium from Swansea City set to be confirmed in the coming days, the Ivorian was left out of his country’s squad that beat Nigeria 1-0 at Zayed Sports City on Sunday night.

In Bony’s absence, Kalou scored the only goal of the low-key warm-up match in Abu Dhabi and the former Chelsea striker says his 26-year-old teammate can help fire City to the title.

“He is a very powerful striker and knows how to score goals,” Kalou said. “He will add a lot of power to their team and a lot of goals, which is good for Man City. Just now he is focussed on the African Cup of Nations, but we are all happy for him and hopefully he will have a good run there and win the league with City.”

Leaders Chelsea meet their Premier League league rivals on January 31 at Stamford Bridge and with Frank Lampard having extended his stay in Manchester until the summer, there are questions regarding the reception the former Blues hero will receive.

Lampard joined City last summer on a free transfer, but was expected to depart for New York this month. He scored against Chelsea when the two sides met at the Etihad earlier this season and Kalou hopes his former teammate is given a warm welcome on his return to Stamford Bridge.

“For what he did for the club, he deserves a standing ovation because he is a legend,” said the Hertha Berlin forward. “He won the Premier League, Champions League, I don’t know how many FA Cups – he deserves to be regarded as a legend.”

Kolo Toure, the former City defender, meanwhile said Bony is a perfect fit for his old club.

“He’s a great player and knows the Premier League very well,” Toure, now with Liverpool, said. “I am sure he is going to do a great job for City because he is very strong, a decent guy and a hard worker. He is perfect for them. Yaya is there too and will help introduce him to the team very easily. The good thing is he’s staying in the same country, so he will not need a period of adaptation.”

gmeenaghan@thenational.ae

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