TOURE IN WARNING TO CITY OVER ‘ANGRY’ MOURINHO:
CITY LEGEND YAYA’S WARNING OVER ‘ANGRY’ MOURINHO
YAYA Toure has warned City to beware of an ‘angry’ Jose Mourinho.
The Premier League champions swept all before them this season – winning the title with a record total of points, wins and goals.
Pep Guardiola has set his players the challenge of proving they can be serial winners by defending the trophy for the first time in their history.
But Toure, who has left the club as a free agent, believes they will not have things their own way next term – identifying United and Tottenham as the major threats to their crown.
He fears the effects of the World Cup could weigh heavily on City’s players.
“Mourinho is going to be very angry,” the Ivorian told M.E.N. Sport.
“Tottenham are a good side. Fantastic.
“Man City can win again – but it depends. The World Cup is on, the players don’t have enough rest and have to come back and play again.
“If they don’t have injuries they can make it - but it’s going to be difficult because next year is going to be a different situation.”
Guardiola is determined to avoid complacency by targeting at least two new additions this summer – with Riyad Mahrez and Jorginho among his top targets.
The City manager said: “We are going to try every day on the pitch to improve.
“We have a young squad with an average age 23.
“If we are stable mentally and we don’t believe too much what we are, and we think about what we can do to improve our game, then we can compete next season and be there with the rest of the teams in England and in Europe.”
CITY believe they’ve already got Brazil’s next superstar – so Neymar’s flirtations may well fall on deaf ears.
Having signed Gabriel Jesus in the January of last year, Pep Guardiola barely entertained the prospect of a move for his compatriot.
Even as it became clear Neymar was ready to end his stay at Barcelona, City kept out of the running. High level sources insisted the numbers simply didn’t make sense over a world record £200m deal, plus wages.
In Jesus – a £27m signing from Palmeiras – they were convinced they’d landed the bargain of the century.
It’s notable that Guardiola’s focus in his search for a top class forward last summer revolved around two names – Kylian Mbappe and Alexis Sanchez. Twelve months on and Mbappe is once again high on his wanted list – even as Paris St Germain wrestle to keep hold Neymar.
There is genuine fear around the French champions that their prize asset will agitate to leave during this window. And his comments to ESPN Brasil this week did nothing to ease their concerns.
“I’ve always wanted to work with Guardiola,” he said. “He’s different. I arrived in Barcelona a year after he left. I really want to work with him.”
Real Madrid remain favourites to land the 26-year-old, but his open flirtations with City are a measure of their current standing in the global game and the Guardiola-effect.
The problem for Neymar is that Guardiola continues to covet his PSG team-mate Mbappe, who he’s tried to sign in each of his two summer windows at the Etihad.
City are waiting to see if PSG are forced to sell to meet UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations, which would pave the way to a deal that would smash their current record transfer – the £57m signing of Aymeric Laporte in January.
Guardiola has told chief executive Ferran Soriano and sporting director Txiki Begiristain to press ahead with moves for Riyad Mahrez and Jorginho.
The duo will cost in the region of £120m to sign from Leicester and Napoli respectively. But there remains money to invest further should one of Guardiola’s marquee options become available. Mbappe is one – and Chelsea’s Eden Hazard is another. Whether Neymar could force his way into the mix remains to seen. Does he fit the profile of Guardiola’s squad? City’s record-breaking Premier League campaign was based on a unity that propelled the club to the title and Carabao Cup. New Arsenal manager Unai Emery’s reflections on his time working with Neymar at PSG may be most telling. “I know when I’m the main person responsible, and when I’m not,” he said. “I am of the opinion that PSG’s leader is Neymar. Or that he is currently becoming it. Neymar came to PSG to be the leader, to go through this process to someday become the best in the world. At Manchester City, Pep is in charge. At PSG, Neymar has to be.” Enough said.
The problem for Neymar is that Guardiola continues to covet his team-mate Mbappe James Robson