Kolo Toure: Last of the invincibles
-
If Man City is not in the top 4 by Xmas, then Hughes should get the sack.
-
Kolo Toure arrives for Manchester City medical to close in on £15m Arsenal exit
Shake on it: Arsenal defender Kolo Toure arrives in Manchester to undergo a medical ahead of his £15million switch to Manchester City
Kolo Toure has arrived at the City of Manchester Stadium to undergo his medical as the Arsenal defender looks set to complete his £15million move to Manchester City.
The 28-year-old is believed to have agreed a £120,000-a-week deal deal after Arsene Wenger confirmed on Tuesday, Sportsmail's exclusive story that the Ivorian is the latest big name player to leave the club this summer joining Emmanuel Adebayor.
'We will see what's happening in the next 24 hours, nothing is decided yet,' said the Frenchman.
'We have seven centre-backs and I am in the position where I have to play some in midfield but of course Kolo is a very good player and we will see what will happen in the next 24 hours.'
New boy: Thomas Vermaelen
Toure played for Arsenal on Monday night in a pre-season friendly in Hungary. The move would take City boss Mark Hughes' spending close to the £100million mark.
But the spree will not stop there, with Everton defender Joleon Lescott and West Ham's Matthew Upson also in their sights, while reports in France link them to Roma's Philippe Mexes.
Arsenal by contrast have made just one signing, central defender Thomas Vermaelen from Ajax, and have also sold Emmanuel Adebayor to City for £25m.
Wenger hinted that he will make more signings before the transfer window closes.
'I am more focused on getting everybody fit for the start of the season but we are looking at opportunities as well,' he said.
'There are still some pre-season games to see what we really need. When the time comes we will do something.'
-
so who still think Arsenal can get Top-4 .
-
i discover Man City actually hunt for players who they think it's instrucmental for that team .
Especially if that team possessed threats to MC surge for their Top-4 .
They took Adebayor and Toure from Arsenal , so Arsenal is very much weakened .
Before that , they signed Barry from Villa , Villa will be weakened without their former skipper .
Then they wanted to sign Lescott , whom i thought , is very important to Everton .
They also signed Santa Cruz , which is an important man to Rovers ...So which position did Everton , Arsenal , Villa lies last season ?
-
i saw the MC full squad , scary , many good players will be very unhappy .
-
Originally posted by Poolman:
1 Given 2 Richards 3 Bridge 4 Onuoha 5 Zabaleta 6 Johnson 7 Ireland 8 Wright-Phillips 9 Bojinov 10 Robinho 11 Elano 12 Taylor 14 Santa Cruz 15 Garrido 16 Schmeichel 17 Petrov 18 Barry 20 Caicedo 22 Dunne 24 Evans 25 Adebayor 26 Ben-Haim 27 Benjani 29 Etuhu 30 Logan 31 Clayton 32 Tevez 33 Kompany 34 De Jong 36 Viban 36 Vidal 39 Bellamy 40 Weiss 41 Mee 42 Moore 49 McDermott 50 McGivern 52 Mentel 1 Given 2 Richards 3 Bridge 4 Onuoha 5 Zabaleta 6 Johnson 7 Ireland 8 Wright-Phillips 9 Bojinov 10 Robinho 11 Elano 12 Taylor 14 Santa Cruz 15 Garrido 16 Schmeichel 17 Petrov 18 Barry 20 Caicedo 22 Dunne 24 Evans 25 Adebayor 26 Ben-Haim 27 Benjani 29 Etuhu 30 Logan 31 Clayton 32 Tevez 33 Kompany 34 De Jong 36 Viban 36 Vidal 39 Bellamy 40 Weiss 41 Mee 42 Moore 49 McDermott 50 McGivern 52 Mentel
I was watching some Man City friendlies, their no. 40 Weiss is quite good, likes to dribble.
-
Originally posted by Poolman:
i discover Man City actually hunt for players who they think it's instrucmental for that team .
Especially if that team possessed threats to MC surge for their Top-4 .
They took Adebayor and Toure from Arsenal , so Arsenal is very much weakened .
Before that , they signed Barry from Villa , Villa will be weakened without their former skipper .
Then they wanted to sign Lescott , whom i thought , is very important to Everton .
They also signed Santa Cruz , which is an important man to Rovers ...So which position did Everton , Arsenal , Villa lies last season ?
Smart move.
Weaken the other teams by buying their top players.
-
Originally posted by Poolman:
so who still think Arsenal can get Top-4 .
they will drop out at this rate within e next few yrs -
Kolo Toure signs four-year deal with Manchester City as Everton reject £19m offer for Joleon Lescott
Welcome: Kolo Toure with City boss Mark Hughes
Manchester City failed with a £19million bid for Everton's Joleon Lescott on Wednesday night after completing the signing of Kolo Toure from Arsenal.
Manager Mark Hughes showed his determination to beef up his options at the back with an increased offer for the England man after an earlier £15m deal was rejected.
An Everton statement read: 'We can confirm we have received an offer of £18million for Joleon Lescott from Manchester City and that offer has been rejected outright.'
Hughes has also given Nedum Onuoha a new five-year contract.
Barry, a £12m signing from Aston Villa and candidate for the City captaincy, was carried off amid fears he had suffered a serious injury but later walked unaided to his car after it was discovered he had suffered only bruising.
Shake on it: Arsenal defender Kolo Toure arrives in Manchester to undergo a medical ahead of his £15million switch to Manchester City
That left Hughes to carry on with the more pleasurable tasks of completing the £15m transfer of Toure, 28. The Ivorian, who will earn £90,000 a week, became City's sixth summer signing after passing a medical yesterday and Hughes said: 'It is no secret that I have been looking to strengthen the defence, and in Kolo I feel we have recruited a world-class player. He brings a wealth of Premier League experience.
'Kolo has been a central figure in a very strong Arsenal team for many years, and I have been an admirer of him for a long time. He is strong, quick, reads the game well and will be an influential figure in the dressing room.'
Toure said: 'It's always difficult to leave a place where you have spent the last eight years and had good times but I felt the time was right for a new challenge. I am at an age, 28, where I feel I am at my peak and will play my best football.'
Hughes will be happy, too, with Onuoha's commitment, which will see him earn £65,000 a week. He is one of the most promising and popular players in the dressing room.
Hughes was impressed with how he slipped in at centre half last season after Micah Richards was moved to right back and also with his showing for England in the European Under 21 Championship in Sweden.
-
man city is a small club with small ambitions. they won't win the epl anyway