Yaya Toure is not motivated by money but instead by the pursuit of a long-term technical role at Manchester City, according to his agent.
The Ivory Coast international seemed to express his unhappiness at the Etihad Stadium through Twitter on Tuesday after his agent, Dimitry Seluk, publicly claimed his client felt under appreciated and disrespected at City.
Seluk suggested that one of Toure’s main gripes was the club’s failure to mark his 31st birthday last week.
In an interview with Sky Sports News yesterday the Ukrainian claimed Toure would be more than happy to stay should he be promised a coaching position or sporting director’s role beyond his retirement.
Seluk said: “Of course. Like Real Madrid did with (Zinedine) Zidane for example. Zidane played then after that he started working for the club.
“Yaya needs the club in the future. We don’t want any more pounds, not a longer contract, nothing like this, only really attention.
“More attention (paid) to Yaya and Yaya must feel happy at the club – that’s the main thing. I’ll tell you one more time, we don’t need one more pound in the contract.”
Toure initially appeared to contradict claims from Seluk that he could quit the club this summer after his outspoken agent claimed City had failed to celebrate his birthday adequately.
But the player quickly backtracked and made statements in favour of his agent.
A video published by City last week in which Toure was presented with a birthday cake has since been widely circulated while many also pointed out that the club had tweeted a happy birthday message at the time.
Seluk later clarified his remarks, and said that Toure was disappointed nobody from a senior position at the club wished him happy birthday.
Yesterday he said: “Of course some players congratulated him, but not the sporting director, not the general director, not the chairman, nobody.
“This is the question. If you don’t even congratulate the player or send flowers to his wife or mother – these are just small things.”
Liverpool’s Luis Suarez has knee surgery
Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has had minor knee surgery, but has not been ruled out of the World Cup, the Uruguay Football Association announced on Thursday.
The 27-year-old forward injured the meniscus in his left knee while training with the national side and, after an MRI scan, it was decided to send the player for a minor operation.
Suarez’s arthroscopic surgery lasted about 30 minutes, and he is likely to be sidelined for at least a couple of weeks but Uruguay officials remain confident he will be fit for the World Cup. The South American’s first match is against Costa Rica on June 15 before they face England on June 19.
David Moyes under investigation for alleged assault
Former Manchester United manager David Moyes is being investigated over an allegation he assaulted a man in a wine bar in northern England.
An incident between Moyes, 51, and a 23-year-old man is said to have happened in Clitheroe, Lancashire, on Thursday evening.
A spokesman for Lancashire Constabulary said: “Police are investigating a report of an assault at the Emporium wine bar in Clitheroe. Officers attended the bar at about 10pm yesterday, and it was reported that a 23-year-old local man had been assaulted by a 51-year-old man. He did not require hospital treatment. No one has been arrested at this stage.”
Wayne Rooney wants to score for England at World Cup
Wayne Rooney has vowed he will have no excuses if he fails to perform for England at the World Cup finals.
The Manchester United forward has played in two World Cups but has yet to score a goal.
He said: “I am going to give everything and leave everything on the pitch. I’ve been here before and I’ve said what I feel I can deliver and what I can do and it hasn’t happened. I think this is the one where I have to show what I can do.
“I believe I am in the best possible shape and the best condition I can be in to do that.”
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