ETIHAD CHIEFS’ PATIENCE WITH TOURE RUNS OUT

YAYA TOURE’S standing at Manchester City is being seriously undermined by the continued controversial pronouncements of his agent. The Ivorian has been a bedrock of City’s success since joining from Barcelona in 2010. The City hierarchy has traditionally turned a blind eye to some of the more extreme rantings from Toure’s friend and agent Dimitri Seluk. But it is understood Seluk’s

recent suggestions that his client is not properly valued at the Etihad Stadium have exhausted the patience of those at boardroom level. Seluk also personally attacked City football director Txiki Begiristain. Seluk said the Spaniard ‘screwed’ manager Manuel Pellegrini by officially naming his successor Pep Guardiola midway through the current season. He said the announcement had destroyed dressing-room morale. It was telling that Toure (right) did not start the Champions League win against Paris SaintGermain on Tuesday, even though he had recovered from a knee injury. It is understood Toure has trained only sporadically for a while and Pellegrini believes his side can get through big games without him. City still think Toure can do a job as he enters the last year of his contract but his role is likely to be that of impact sub, something that is unlikely to sit well with the player. If a good offer arrives it will be considered. Executives at City believe Seluk’s repeated attacks are clumsy attempts to get his client a new contract, a transfer or even to persuade to City to pay up the final year of his £250,000-aweek deal. The former will not be forthcoming and the 32-year-old may struggle to find a club who can match his wages. Toure has indicated privately he wants to stay at City but would prefer a Premier League club if he did move on.