'Yaya Toure can influence an entire season like Messi & Ronaldo'

Forum 7 years ago

'Yaya Toure can influence an entire season like Messi & Ronaldo'

The Manchester City midfielder has been left out of Pep Guardiola's Champions League squad but Roberto Mancini insists his talents are up there with the best

Yaya Toure is still capable of changing the outcome of an entire season by himself, according to Roberto Mancini.

The Ivorian has been left out of Manchester City's Champions League squad, prompting the player's representative Dimitri Seluk to demand an apology from Pep Guardiola, as his influence at the Etihad Stadium continues to wane.

Mancini signed Toure from Barcelona in 2009 while in charge at City and believes the 33-year-old's ability rivals other game-changers such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

"Yaya was always one of my goals.

"We had almost sealed his purchase with President Erick Thohir a year ago, then he preferred not to betray Manchester City, where I took him.

"Toure, like Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of those players who can make the difference, who can change the outcome of a season by themselves like Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo."