Yaya Toure advised to quit Manchester City

Former Gunner Emmanuel Eboue has advised Manchester City veteran Yaya Toure to quit the club amidst rumours that the defensive midfielder has become a bit-part player under Pep Guardiola.

Toure, 34, has found his playing time severely limited this season, with the Catalan boss opting for Fernandinho instead.

“I’m not sure that he is going to stay because he wants to play.” Eboue said.

“If he [is] still there [after January] he’s not going to play so I think for him is better to leave – to go to play.

“He’s a good player so every week when you stay on the bench and you don’t play, it’s hard in your head.

“It’s time for him to leave. When you see City this year, the players they have are good – good midfielders, good strikers.

“So for me it is time for him to leave.”

It is not the first time Toure has fallen down the pecking order under Guardiola as the Catalan opted for Sergio Busquets at the defensive midfielder position at Barcelona between 2008 and 2010.

Reports of another fall-out between Guardiola and Toure circulated the media in September last year too.  This followed the player’s agent remarks about Guardiola’s favourism towards certain players. The incident forced Toure to apologise for his agent’s actions two months later in bid to get back into Guardiola’s good graces.

But with advancing age, a history of bad chemistry and finding himself in a similar tight spot with the current Man City manager this year, Toure could be left with no choice but to look for greener pastures.

ESPN has already reported that Toure could make a switch to MLS side New York City as soon as this January.