Unsettled Midfielder Linked With Gunners
Barcelona midfield maestro Yaya Toure has once again been linked with Arsenal after Mathieu Flamini’s recent departure from the club to AC Milan.
Brother of Arsenal star Kolo, the 24 year old has been likened to Patrick Vieira in his sharp feet, lung-busting runs and screaming shots.
Only 3 months ago, Didier Drogba was complementing his fellow Ivorian hoping he would move to Chelsea.
“He is a fantastic player,” assured Drogba.
“He can run, jump and win the ball in the midfield and also score.
“When he runs he looks like Patrick Vieira. If he comes, everybody will love him.”
This season, Toure has warmed to the Barca fans after being one of the bright sparks in an abysmal season for the La Liga giants. He hasn’t forgotten the trial he had 3 seasons ago though, work permit problems meant that the defensive midfielder couldn’t make a move to Arsenal, so instead he chose Greek side Olympiakos.
Wenger has reportedly been watching Toure’s performances for Barca after the Ivory Coast international told Spanish press that he’s extremely disappointed with their season - a possible sign that he’s on his way out of the Camp Nou.
May 9, 2008 at 9:56 pm
hi hope so
May 9, 2008 at 9:58 pm
Of course this is only a rumour but one which is likely to escalate.
May 9, 2008 at 10:22 pm
If only it were true, if he played with half the passion of his brother he will do well for us.
May 9, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Have seen a bit this season and he hasn’t looked great
May 9, 2008 at 10:30 pm
He’s very energetic and has a superb range of passing, he would be a fantastic addition to our squad
May 9, 2008 at 10:34 pm
Arsene had him on trial before he went to Barca and didn’t take him, he won’t change his mind.
May 9, 2008 at 10:42 pm
Work permit problems prevented the move, Toure has improved massively since he had that trial.
May 9, 2008 at 10:48 pm
I’ll take your word for it mate and hope something good comes of it. I dont think he would be a like for like in the Flamini role, is there anybody else out there that could do that job?
May 9, 2008 at 10:48 pm
this sounds like another bullsh*t rumor
May 9, 2008 at 10:51 pm
Austingunner. it’s not bullshit at all, we do know Wenger has been watching Toure’s performances, where you are right, it’s just a rumour, theres no concrete evidence at the current time.
May 9, 2008 at 10:59 pm
“Barcelona midfield maestro Yaya Toure”….C’mon,he’s average player,litle bit lazy
May 9, 2008 at 11:11 pm
lol. He’s not average at all, have you actually seen him play?
May 9, 2008 at 11:26 pm
He wouldn’t be like-for-like with Flamini. He doesn’t have Flamini’s energy but he would add height, muscle and the potential to be the next Vieira. He would provide just the type of protection the back four needs … and he scores a few. Besides Messi, he has been Barca’s best player in their disappointing season. He would be a great, great signing. Bring him on!
May 9, 2008 at 11:55 pm
He looks as if he’s gained 5 kilos since joining Barcelona and looks too big and slow for the BPL. With that, I’m sure with Wenger’s diet, he’d shed any excess. He’d have to be cheap for Wenger to buy him and Barcelona will want to get paid.
May 10, 2008 at 12:19 am
Hleb for Yaya anyone?
May 10, 2008 at 12:21 am
Now am I going insane, or did you post a message saying you’d closed the blog yesterday?
May 10, 2008 at 12:27 am
Yaya Toure to Arsenal….that would be a great addition to the club. He would solidify our midfield in the absence of our lost french midfield bulldog. And would probably cost half the price of the englishman Gareth Barry, who I rate highly in that center defensive midfield position. Hope we get him….
May 10, 2008 at 1:06 am
YES PLEASE.
I would love Samir Nasri-i think he is exacty what we need. we have never replaced robert pires a player who scores 15 a season and creates 15 also. This is the player we need.
If we;re talking exchanging someone, hleb for iniesta then cesc will never leave.
May 10, 2008 at 7:33 am
You realise that if we signed Yaya, we’d be gutted when the next African Nations Cup comes around? Toure, Toure, Adebayor, Eboue (hah!) all leave, and with our thin swuad, who’s going to replace them? I can’t see Wenger splurging on a traffic cone to replace Eboue for only 2 months - he’ll say something like “I want to give our younger traffic cones a chance”.
Not a likely rumour. A likelier rumor is Gattuso to Arsenal, which incidentally, is an exclusive on my blog. Check it out!
May 10, 2008 at 8:59 am
Arsene will never go for Ya Ya !. His to big and clumsy for Arsene.
May 10, 2008 at 10:03 am
As a gooner?!?!
Who cares about Hleb?!?!
Give me Yaya and put the arm band on Kolo. Who give a f*** about Flamini?!?!
May 10, 2008 at 10:07 am
Yaya Toure, thanks but no thanks, he dose look lazy now that he’s at Barca, he has put on about 2 stone in weight, he looks out of shape and out of sorts and no way should we touch him with a barge pole!
May 10, 2008 at 10:13 am
too big and clumsy for arsenal. SENDEROS is big and clumsy not yaya toure. yaya would be a great signing. flamini is just another ashley cole who needs him. i agree kolo should get captaincy. i think toure is one of our best players, behind cesc.
May 10, 2008 at 10:36 am
who else is better suited to anchor the midfield? i think he is our man. you say he looks clumsy; all he has to do is give the ball to cesc and win the ball in 50 50s and i watched against manu he impressed me. i think playing in spain has sharpened his game. ever since viera we have never had anyone who could win balls in the air. not sure how tall he is but hes taller than all our cb and ade.
this is great news he would give something new
May 10, 2008 at 12:53 pm
RVP, check this guy out, his name’s Lorik Cana. I think he could do the Flamini job with a bit more spice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EL_bZAdOKhk
May 10, 2008 at 1:57 pm
arsenal did not sign him then cause of his work permit.
May 10, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Yeah, thats what I said lmao
May 10, 2008 at 9:10 pm
Rumors, Rumors and more Rumors !
May 11, 2008 at 10:41 am
kolo toure useed to play in cm so wenger mite play him there and sign another cb
May 11, 2008 at 12:49 pm
[...] like to see this one come true. This story has already been covered far better than me over at GunnersLive) Atletico Madrid’s Ignacio Camacho(An 18 year old wonderchild I’ve never seen play) and [...]
May 11, 2008 at 5:18 pm
Dream on. Wenger missed the boat when he refused to sign Toure in Belgium. What makes you think Barca would let their only bright star in their abysmal season just go?