Yaya Toure: I would wear Manchester United shirt to play with 'fantastic' Paul Pogba
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ByEurosport
Updated 23/05/2018 at 09:52 GMT
Yaya Toure admits he would cross Manchester's great divide and wear a United shirt to play alongside France midfielder Paul Pogba.
Manchester City's Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure (L) vies with Juventus' midfielder from France Paul Pogba during a UEFA Champions League group stage football match between Manchester City and Juventus at the Etihad stadium in Manchester.
Image credit: Eurosport
The 101-times capped Ivory Coast midfielder was given a heartfelt send-off as he made his final home appearance for Manchester City in their last home match of the season, a 3-1 victory over Brighton at the Etihad Stadium.
But he could be back in the city sooner than expected if Jose Mourinho decides Toure is worth bringing to Old Trafford to bolster his squad.
Speaking in the MEN, Toure said he loves Pogba as much as former City team-mates Kevin de Bruyne and David Silva in what sounds like a 'come-and-get-me' plea to Mourinho.
“I love Paul Pogba,” he said. “I love Kevin (de Bruyne) as well and I love (David) Silva. Silva was my player.
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Paul Pogba (Manchester United)
Image credit: Getty Images
“It is difficult because you have to be good on all things. Silva is short and strong.
Pogba - it’s difficult because of the way the media has treated him. We don’t have the same characteristics because for me I was involved in all the ball, I ran everywhere.
“I liked that. I was prepared for that. I was working for that for a long time.
“When I was in the academy in Africa I had to run everywhere, get box to box in 50 seconds. It’s something I’ve been loving to do.
Pogba is the same size, power - but different in the way he wants to go. Technically as well, the ability to score goals as well. It is a player I want to play with, to be honest, just to teach him some things.
Toure believes 25-year-old Pogba will only get better with age. He has not been short of critics since completing his then world record £98m move from Juventus in 2016, but Toure is not one to concern himself with inconsistent performances.
“Pogba is a great player. He’s a fantastic player. He’s a little bit young at the moment," said the former Monaco and Barcelona powerhouse.
“Criticism is a part of life. If they criticise you it’s because they want you to be good or be better.
I’ve been criticised and I love to be criticised. I like it. I don’t mind if people talk about me - it’s good. It means I have to achieve, I have to be better.
“Even if you continue to be at the peak of your game, sometimes they are going to find something to tell you. It’s part of life. We have to deal with that.”
Toure, 34, is a free agent this summer after an outstanding eight years at the club, a period in which he was won three Premier League titles and four domestic cups.
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Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure
Image credit: Getty Images
“I want to go somewhere I can win and achieve," said Toure.
“It’s going to be hard one day to play against City, but I have to do that. It is part of my job.
“I’ve been playing football for such a long time, I’m no good in the office or something else. I am good in football.
To see myself at a different club is going to be difficult. I have been such a big part of City for such a long time now. I just want to say that definitely I will continue to play at a high level - Champions League or Europa League.
“I want to play two more years. They have to be in the higher level and then I can do something else.”
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