Yaya Toure to join Brazilian club

by Bertin Basson

Saturday May 23, 2020. 14:00

African great Yaya Toure is set to complete a surprise move to Brazilian football club Vasco da Gama in the new year.

Brazilian lawyer Leven Siano has promised to bring the former Ivory Coast international to the club in January 2021 if he is elected president in the November elections – news confirmed by Toure himself.

“I want to thank Leven for including me in this project,” Toure said in a clip posted on Leven’s Instagram page.

“I can hardly wait to see all the Vasco fans very soon. It is going to be Vasco.”

The 37-year-old has been without a club since leaving Chinese League One outfit Qingdao Huanghai in January, but has been heavily linked with a move to Brazil with Botafogo reported to have been favourites to sign him.

The four-time CAF African Footballer of the Year is best known for the time he spent on the books of European giants Barcelona and Manchester City. Toure notable scored 79 goals in 316 appearances for the Cityzens with whom he won three English Premier League titles.

Toure scored 19 goals in 97 games for Ivory Coast and captained his nation to 2015 Africa Cup of Nations glory.