The agent of Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure says his client has been humiliated after being omitted from manager Pep Guardiola’s Champions League squad.
The 33-year-old was left out of the Citizens’ Champions League squad, with UEFA rules dictating that clubs are allowed to name a maximum of 17 players who have not been trained in England at youth level.
As such, Guardiola was forced to make the tough decision of leaving out the vastly experienced Toure, much to the disappointment of agent Dimitri Seluk and his client.
Seluk told the Sunday Mirror: “If he wins the Champions League for City this season then I will travel to England and I will say on television that Pep Guardiola is the best manager in the world.
“But if City don’t win the Champions League then I hope that Pep has got the balls to say that he was wrong to humiliate a great player like Yaya.
“This is Pep’s decision and we must respect it. Yaya is a professional and so he will do everything he is asked to do.”
Toure was initially linked with a Manchester City departure during the off-season, having previously been sold by Guardiola at Barcelona.
The player has ultimately decided to stay and fight for a place in a star-studded midfield, and Seluk says his client will not be looking to force a move away from the club in the January transfer window.
“Perhaps Pep will think he is good enough to play in the final 10 minutes of a League Cup game against a third division team — and, yes, I am joking,” Seluk added.
“But what I can tell you is that Yaya will spend the season at City. He will not be leaving in January. He hopes that he will get the chance to prove himself.”
Toure joined the Citizens from Barcelona in 2010 for a reported fee of £24 million, and has since gone on to make 266 appearances in all competitions, scoring 75 times.
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