Toure completes City switch
The 28-year-old defender arrives at Eastlands for an undisclosed fee believed to be in region of £16 million (€18.6m) after seven years with the Gunners.
A severance package, which was thought to be a potential stumbling block, for Toure has now been agreed paving the way for the Ivorian to join City.
Toure’s move, which will put him among the ranks of players at City earning more than £100,000 (€116,000) a week, is the second piece of business the two clubs have done this summer, following Emmanuel Adebayor’s arrival earlier this month.
Toure passed a medical yesterday before finalising the necessary paperwork.
“I am delighted to welcome Kolo to Manchester City,’’ City manager Mark Hughes said.
“It is no secret we have been looking to strengthen our 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.
“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, who handed in a transfer request last January after a reputed bust-up with team-mate William Gallas , struggled to find his best form last season after contracting malaria last July.
However at 28 he believes he is still at his peak and that the time was right to seek pastures new.
“It is 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 and I am still at an age, 28, where I feel I am at my peak and will play my best football,” Toure said. “For me it was time to move but only for the right club and I feel that Manchester City is that club. The ambition here is clear to see and is big. Everyone knows this club is moving and that is really, really important.
“I still want to achieve things and I feel as though I can bring something to City and that is what I will be striving to do. It is not just about quality on the pitch it is about blending as a team and with my experience I think I can help City do just that.”
Toure’s agent, Saif Rubie, insisted his client has moved to Eastlands for footballing reasons, not the vast wages City are paying.
Rubie said: “Kolo is very ambitious at this time in his career. He was very impressed with (owner) Sheikh Mansour and chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak’s vision for the club.
“For him, it is a new challenge he is very excited with what Mark Hughes is doing at the club and sees himself as a lynchpin for the team.’’
Rubie added: “Anybody who knows Kolo Toure knows that he is a man that plays and fights with his heart.’’
Hughes turned to Toure after failing to land Chelsea captain John Terry.
Toure’s arrival is City’s sixth signing of the summer and takes City’s spending to close to £100m (€116m).
While Toure’s form has been patchy over the last 18 months his defection will come as a blow to Gunners boss Arsene Wenger given the Ivorian was the only remaining regular from the ‘Invincibles’ side of 2003-04.
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