A.Puzo 
Free of any contract after eight years with Manchester City, Yaya Toure signs wit Olympiacos, rumors where sending him to
West Ham, still in England, where he could have joined his former Manchester City coach Manuel Pellegrini. But it is finally in Piraeus, the port of Athens, that he will try to pursue a career that started at the ASEC Mimosas in 1996, when he was only junior.
After 3 years in Belgium (2001-2004, under his formor mentor Jean-Marc Guillou then in Ukraine (2004-2005), it was in the Greek capital that he revealed himself at the high European level. In the 2005-2006 season, Olympiakos won with their midfielder the double-cut championship, while the Ivorian national team reached the finals of the 2006 African Cup of Nations.
The cream of Catalan cream
Just after participating in 2006 at his first Champions League (elimination in the pool phase) and his first World Cup in Germany (elimination in the pool phase), Yaya Toure takes the road to Monaco, for three years and 5.5 million euros. He will only spend a year there, suffering from difficult relationships with his coaches. It turned to be a bad for a good, since in the 2007-2008 season, he joined FC Barcelona.
The Ivorian then largely expanded his record: Ivorian player of the year 2008 and 2009, Champions League 2009, Spanish Championship 2009, Spanish Cup 2009, Club World Cup 2009, Spanish Supercup 2009, supercoupe of the 2009 UEFA Champions League, Spain 2010. However, the epic of Yaya Toure in Spain ends in the summer of 2010.
Moved to central defender, blocked by Gérard Piqué in the middle and less used by his coach Pep Guardiola, he takes the direction of England, where his physical qualities and versatility promise to work wonders. On June 2, 2010, he signed a five-year contract for Manchester City worth 32 million euros, joining his brother Kolo who was playing with Manchester City since 2009.
Citizen Yaya
Toure wins his first title with Manchester City at his first season with the FA Cup 2011. In 2012, the Mancunian club managed to win its first league title in England for forty-four years and the Community Shield, and Yaya Toure reached, the same year, the final of CAN 2012 with Ivory Coast.
In 2014, Toure won a second English league title in three years, before winning the 2015 CAN. As the best African player in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014, he was named for the GOLDEN BALL four times, in 2009, 2012, 2014 and 2015. Retired international since September 20, 2016, to “give the chance to the youngest”, however, he suffered from the arrival of Pep Guardiola at Manchester City
Back to Olympus?
In the 2017-2018 season, when Manchester City won the English Premier League, the Ivorian only played 17 games, compared to 31 the previous season and 47 in 2015-2016. Toure was released by City after a limited role last season, bringing an end to eight seasons at the club where he won three Premier League titles, two League Cups and the FA Cup.
In search of a new challenge, Yaya Touré had been the subject of many speculations in recent months. There was mention offers from Europe, Asia and the United States, he finally chose Olympiakos. Welcomed star in Athens Sunday, September 2, there will be plenty to do. Third in the Greek league last season, the club aspires to find the summit of Olympus (and the Champions League) as quickly as possible.
Fans certainly remembered his efforts last time around, when he was mobbed when introduced to supporters this time around.
They even lit flares and danced in the dusk when the Ivorian made his way to the stadium.
“When I left in 2006 I said I would come back and I am delighted to keep my word,” Toure said on his official website.
“I had offers from lots of clubs across Europe, Asia and the USA.
“Ultimately, I made my decision based on the special relationship I have with this incredible club.”
Last week Toure’s agent Dimitry Seluk fuelled speculation when he revealed the Ivorian had undergone a medical in London.
He has been linked with West Ham and Crystal Palace but a move to Olympiakos is on the cards.
Seluk posted on Twitter on Thursday: “It’s a football club that played against Burnley in August”
Pellegrini coached Toure during his time at the Etihad and has revealed he did speak to him earlier in the summer about a potential move. The Greek league leaders confirmed the move but did not give financial details. Local media said Toure would be paid around €2.5 million ($2.9 million) for one season.
