Inter target Yaya Toure praises Roberto Mancini as his ‘mentor’, and says his decision won’t be about money.
The Manchester City midfielder has been linked with the Nerazzurri, and Coach Mancini has made no secret of his desire to reunite with the Ivorian, who he managed in England.
“Mancini is a mentor to me,” Toure admitted in an interview with Footmercato.
“He’s an extraordinary Coach, it’s no secret that I loved the seasons where he was the Coach, just as I love playing for City now.
Inter target Yaya Toure praises Roberto Mancini as his ‘mentor’, and says his decision won’t be about money.
The Manchester City midfielder has been linked with the Nerazzurri, and Coach Mancini has made no secret of his desire to reunite with the Ivorian, who he managed in England.
“Mancini is a mentor to me,” Toure admitted in an interview with Footmercato.
“He’s an extraordinary Coach, it’s no secret that I loved the seasons where he was the Coach, just as I love playing for City now.
“I’ve reached a stage now where I’m more interested in the sporting challenges that a club can offer me than anything else.
“When I arrived at City, [current boss Manuel] Pellegrini wasn’t the manager, all players and managers come and go.
“As I’ve said many times, I have an obligation to the City fans to fight as long as my time here is not over, and I also owe it to myself.
“My decisions are not affected by a possible change of manager, but rather by the challenges I’ll be offered.
“No salary will make me stay at a club if I think there isn’t a place for me, or if there isn’t a challenge there for me.
“There comes a point where it’s not about numbers, it goes beyond all that, even though the British press seems more interested in numbers than in the sport itself.
“I think when things aren’t going well at a club, the bigger names always bear the brunt of it.
“I’m not the only one who has been attacked, even though it seems more severe with me. I get the impression that there always has to be someone to blame for any failure.
“If that’s how we can console each other, then too bad for Yaya. Football is my passion and my profession, two good reasons to do the best I can.
“I represent my continent, Africa, and that’s priceless. I carry the dreams of thousands of little boys with me.
“I can accept criticism if it can help me better myself, and I ignore it when it’s only intended to break me.
“With regard to the future, I don’t know any more than you, because I’ll always go where I’m offered new challenges. That’s my true nature.”
The former Barcelona man also hinted that he could be interested in a move to Paris Saint-Germain, describing them as a ‘great club’.
“I’ve already given my opinion on PSG in the past, which excited a lot of journalists.
“PSG are a great club, one which has not finished growing and, I think, one where any player can find their place and make a contribution.”