Before he joined Barcelona for ?10 million (Dh49m) in 2007, Yaya Toure's footballing CV raised eyebrows. In the previous three seasons, he had stayed for one year each at his last three clubs - Metalurg Donetsk, the Ukraine side, the Greeks of Olympiakos and then Monaco in France's Ligue 1. He had moved to Ukraine after a spell in Belgium - the first stop for many African talents in Europe because of a more flexible immigration policy than other European countries.
Mutterings about his over-enthusiastic agent receded after his three successful seasons at Camp Nou, where he established himself as a crowd favourite and worthy of a starting place in what was frequently the best club side in the world. Yet Toure never seemed like a player who would stay at Barca for the rest of his playing years, like many of their homegrown players do. The Ivory Coast midfielder, 27, was one of Barca's lowest earning first teamers and this unsettled him - and his agent.
He started 26 and 25 league games in his first two seasons, a figure which dropped to 18 last season and left him talking about wanting to play more. Yet he was far from peripheral. Signed as a midfield anchor, he is tall and powerful in a way Xavi, Iniesta and Lionel Messi are not. He brought strength to a sublime, but unmuscular Barca side. Surprisingly quick and versatile, he excelled as an emergency centre-half in the 2009 Champions League final against Manchester United. He claimed he spoke to his brother, Kolo, a central defender, for advice. Now the pair will be playing together with Manchester City where the elder brother is club captain.
There were other reasons why Toure left Camp Nou. He is not Catalan nor was he schooled in the Barcelona way. When his agent asked for more minutes and more money, his plea fell on deaf ears so it was decided it was time to move on. He would have preferred to play for a team in the Champions League, but none of them could match what City can pay. The Ivorian can bring strength and trophy-winning experience among his many qualities. He is intelligent in his positioning and has a ferocious shot. Mentally strong, he will not be phased by the expectations nor the demands of City's owners.
His former teammates think he will thrive in England and be up for the physical challenge. And playing with his brother is likely to be another motivation as big-spending City go in search of a first major trophy since 1976.
