Yaya Toure: It is time to change the chapter

Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure

Tuesday May 22, 2018. 09:00

Yaya Toure has admitted that he will miss life at Manchester City, but insists now is the right time to open a new chapter in his career.

The Ivorian midfielder will become a free agent when his contract with the Citizens expires next month, bringing to an end an eight-year spell at the Etihad Stadium in which he won three Premier League titles, one FA Cup and two League Cups.

"After such long service like that, eight years, it is not easy," Toure said in a Sky Sports interview with his former Barcelona teammate Thierry Henry. "It will be sad because I will miss my teammates.

"If you see everything throughout my career, all the personal trophies I have been able to achieve have only been at City, because they give me such belief in myself.

"And make me achieve another level because the club have been so good to me and the fans have been good with me.

"But I think it is time to change the chapter and I will be very delighted and open to see who will get my service and I will continue my job."

He added, "It hurt me a little bit as well (leaving) because in my mind, and my body as well, I feel that I can do more and continue to carry on," he said.

"But now we go to the part where we have to move on and continue, because I love football. I can do nothing, it is only football I can do."

The 35-year-old added that he is proud his time at City has coincided with the most successful spell in the club’s history.

"It was brilliant, it is a fantastic thing because this kind of thing where they put your picture, does mean that the club appreciated your service and what you have been doing for them," Toure said in regards to City's decision to unveil a plaque of him by the club's academy pitches.

"That day my wife, brother and close people were there watching that and you can't be more proud than that. This is such an unbelievable thing the club can do.”