Skip to content

Pep Guardiola gives Yaya Toure Man City ultimatum over agent's comments

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says Yaya Toure will not play again unless the club and the players get an apology

Yaya Toure has been told his Manchester City career is over unless he apologises for comments made by his agent.

Pep Guardiola issued the ultimatum after he was angered by public criticism from Dimitri Seluk in the wake of Toure's omission from City's Champions League squad.

Three months' half-price Sky Sports
Three months' half-price Sky Sports

Watch the Premier League, Ryder Cup and the EFL Cup

Seluk claimed the four-time African Footballer of the Year had been left humiliated by Guardiola's decision, but said Toure would stick out the remaining year of his contract.

The 33-year-old, who called time on his Ivory Coast career on Tuesday, has only featured once for City this season in the Champions League play-off second leg against Steaua Bucharest.

And ahead of Wednesday night's EFL Cup tie with Swansea, Guardiola made it plain that will not change unless his terms are met.

He said: "It was so difficult for me to put him out of the Champions League, so difficult. I know him, I know he's a good, good guy, but the list is the list.

Yaya calls time on Ivory Coast
Yaya calls time on Ivory Coast

Yaya Toure announces international retirement

"But the day after his manager [agent] spoke, and from that moment Yaya is out.

Also See:

"Go to the media and apologise to Manchester City - the first one - the second one his team-mates and, after, the trainer. When that happens Yaya will be part of the group and he will have the same chance to play all the games.

"I cannot accept as a coach every manager [agent], when his player doesn't play, goes to the media and speaks and speaks and speaks.

"I cannot imagine in my period when I was a football player, my manager [agent] going to the media and speaking against [then Barcelona boss] Johan Cruyff, about this and about that.

"Maybe it's a new era now, the new period changing, but I'm an old guy. I am old generation, and an old generation manager has to make his players his job and trainers his job.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Highlights from Man City's 4-0 win over Bournemouth.

"Today the managers believe they are more than they are. If he has a problem call [City director of football] Txiki Begiristain, the club, and they can talk. Until he doesn't speak, Yaya is not going to play."

City captain Vincent Kompany is in contention for his first appearance of the season at Swansea, while Fabian Delph is also fit and young midfielder Brahim Diaz could feature.

"We are going to try and win the EFL Cup," Guardiola said. "We will play some players who don't have the opportunity to play that often."

Watch Man Utd v Leicester, the Ryder Cup and the EFL Cup as part of our three months' half-price offer.

Around Sky