Yaya Toure profile: 10 things you need to know about the Manchester United and Chelsea transfer target
Barcelona defensive midfielder Yaya Toure has today been linked with a move to Manchester United and Chelsea .
But what do we know about the middle son of the Ivory Coast's premier footballing dynasty?
1) Gnégnéri Touré Yaya was born on May 13, 1983, in Bouake - the second largest city in Ivory Coast. He has two footballing brothers - Kolo, who currently captains Manchester City, and Ibrahim, a striker who plays for Syrian side Al-Ittihad.
2) He came though the youth academy of ASEC Mimosas, an Ivorian club that has also nurtured the likes of Emmanuel Eboue, Didier Zikora, Salomon Kalou and Aruna Dindane.
3) He first moved to Europe in 2001, joining Belgian side KSK Beveren as an 18 year-old. Successful spells at Ukranian club Metalurh Donetsk, Olympiakos and Monaco followed, during which Yaya established his reputation as a holding midfielder of some note. He also managed the league and cup double during his sole season in Greece.
4) He could have come to the Premier League as early as the 2005/06 season when he spent the pre-season with Arsenal. However, despite the influence of older brother Kolo - who claimed not only that Yaya was better than him, but also hailed him the new Patrick Vieira - Arsene Wenger decided not to sign the midfielder permanently.
5) He completed a €9million move to Barcelona in June 2007, becoming the first Ivorian player ever to sign for the famous club. Here's some footage of his presentation - would he get the same treatment at Old Trafford?
6) He made his La Liga debut that August against Racing de Santande and scored his first goal a month later against Athletic Bilbao. Yaya made a total of 38 appearances in his first season, bagging a further goal in the Champions League quarter final victory over Schalke 04. And here it is...
7) His relationship with new Barca boss Pep Guardiola got off to a rocky start when Yaya lost his defensive midfield berth to Sergio Busquets. However, he forced his way back into the team in early 2009, and went on to win the treble. He scored the first goal in Barcelona's 4-1 Copa Del Rey victory over Bilbao that year - and what a strike it was...
8) Due to injuries, he ended up playing in the centre of defence during that year's Champions League final - and still walked away with a winner's medal, as Manchester United fans will remember to their chagrin. To date he's made 95 appearances in total for Barca - and scored five times. Here's the obligatory fan tribute compilation...
9) He's played a total of 34 times for Ivory Coast and scored three times - the frst coming during an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Madagascar in June 2007. He also played for the Elephants at the 2006 World Cup - their first ever appearance at the finals.
10) He suffered an unusual injury earlier this year when, along with Barca defender Eric Abidal, he contracted swine flu. Presumably if Yaya doesn't get his move out of Spain he will be... [drum roll]... pig sick.
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