MTNFootball

1-      Yaya Touré, back in la Liga?

The top earning African sportsman of the year 2011-2012, Yaya Touré, has never hidden his desire to return to FC Barcelona, the club he left in July 2010 for Manchester City in a transfer estimated at around 30 million Euros.

Recently crowned English champion with the Citizens, the 29-year old Ivoirian international midfielder has been courted by the biggest names in European football, amongst whom Chelsea and Bayern Munich.  The most serious lead however remains Real Madrid, who will be prepared to put 40 million Euros on the table to engage the services of the former ASEC Mimosas player, under contract with City until June 2015.

But with a monthly salary of 1 million Euros at Sheikh Mansour’s club, it will be very difficult for the younger of the Touré brothers to find the equivalent elsewhere, other than in China or Russia.

The financial conditions and the sports challenge offered by United’s rival should lead Yaya to think twice before packing his bags.

Now a free agent as his contract at Chelsea comes to an end after six years of excellent and dedicated service, the 26-year old Ivoirian international striker, Salomon Kalou, has inspired interest from all corners on the European scene.

Following an average season with the Blues, during which he scored 11 goals in 38 appearances over all competitions, but with only 12 selections in the Premier League, Kalunho is now in search of a big club who will guarantee him more game time.

Arsenal were very interested over the winter exchange window and could still be in the running this summer, but more recently Schalke 04 and Lille have been the most vocal about their desire to sign the former Mimos Académicien.

However, although his signing will not cost his future employer a cent, the European Champion's annual salary amounts to 3 million Euros.

Lille have been in search of a striker since the departure of Eden Hazard and Joe Cole, but could nevertheless start backpedalling given the financial demands of the former Feyenoord Rotterdam player.

The other clubs that are regularly mentioned in Kalou’s list of suitors are Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Lyon, Galatasaray and even Samuel Eto’o’s Anzhi Makhachkala.

Newcastle United’s international Ivoirian is one of the most highly esteemed defensive midfielders of the Premier League. 

Under contract with the Magpies until 2017, the former Anderlecht and FC Twente player who headed to the north of England two years ago is now in the sights of the biggest names in the country.

The Citizens showed interest at a stage, and now it seems that Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United especially are the hottest on his heels.

Valued at an estimated 25 million Euros, Cheick Tioté however claimed his attachment to his colours a few months ago.

“I am a Newcastle player, my future is at Newcastle,” stated the Yamoussoukro native at the time.

On the Italian front, Inter Milan have also warmed to the strengths of the 25-year old player.

4-      Arouna Koné, now 10 million Euros

Ivoirian international striker Arouna Koné was a free agent until recently, after spending the past season at Levante on loan from FC Séville, and has just signed a one-year contract with an option of an extra year with the Valencia outfit.

The former PSV Eindhoven player who scored 15 goals in the Liga this season, was a priority for Tottenham for a long time for this summer exchange window, but the deal changed with the non-qualification of the Spurs for the next Champions League, followed by the departure of Harry Redknapp.

All the more so given that the 28-year old player is no longer a free agent and that his buyout clause is fixed at 10 million Euros…

At that price, it is not sure whether the clubs who have shown interest until now like Udinese, Wolfsburg, Aston Villa and of course Tottenham, will now be able to take the plunge.

5- Kolo Touré, towards a final challenge?

Ivoirian international defender Kolo Touré arrived at Manchester City after spending seven years at Arsenal, and has not hidden his dissatisfaction at losing his place in the Citizens’ starting line-up to the benefit of Vincent Kompany and Joleon Lescott.

The former ASEC Académicien wanted to join Paris Saint-Germain during the winter exchange window and could do it this summer, following the failure of negotiations between PSG and AC Milan for the transfer of Thiago Silva.

But other destinations have popped up, and the older of the two Touré brothers could also opt for a golden early retirement rather than for the sports challenge and succumb to the advances of Anzhi Makhachkala, a club that have never hidden their desire to recruit the Elephants defender.

The English lead can also not be dismissed, with the keen interest shown by the Queens Park Rangers and their manager, Mark Hughes, for the player he brought to City in 2009.  Downside, the club who avoided relegation in the last week of the Premier League will have to spend a minimum of 6 million Euros.

In the meantime, Kolo Touré is enjoying his honeymoon after marrying his long-time girlfriend and mother of his two children, “Mado” Chimène Akassou, on 15 June in Abidjan.