Manchester City outcast Yaya Toure begs agent to make peace with Pep Guardiola in bid to save Etihad career
Catalan boss has sworn not to play Ivorian midfielder until adviser Dimitri Seluk apologises for public criticism
YAYA TOURE has told his agent to make peace with Pep Guardiola in a desperate bid to save his Manchester City career.
Dimitri Seluk has been one of the biggest critics of the Etihad boss after his client was frozen out at the club.
And Guardiola has insisted that the Ivorian midfielder will not play for him again until his advisor publicly apologises.
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It seemed that Toure, 33, was therefore destined to leave the club – and is free to talk to other clubs about a pre-contract in January when he enters the final six months of his City deal.
I am not going to speak about him any more in the media
But, in a shock twist, Seluk admitted the star has now ordered him to seek a truce.
Seluk said: “I have spoken to Yaya in the last few days and he has asked me to make the peace with Pep.
“I agreed with him that I had to do what I could to make the situation better, because Yaya and Manchester City have been caught in the crossfire.
“I am genuine in what I say.
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“Some City fans have contacted Yaya to say that a way forward must be found. And some of Yaya’s team-mates at City have also contacted me to say the same thing.”
Seluk’s relationship with Guardiola reached a new low when the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager axed Toure from City’s Champions League squad.
The most important thing is that we try to forgive what has happened in the past and develop a new relationship
The agent then blamed his client’s absence for a slip in form that saw the club go six games without a win last month.
And while Seluk still failed to actually apologise to Guardiola, he promised to stem the flow of criticism for the esteemed boss – and revealed he hoped the pair could forge a ‘new relationship’.
He told the : “I am not an unreasonable man.
“I don’t think that Pep will ever love me, but the most important thing is that we try to forgive what has happened in the past and develop a new relationship.
“This is a genuine gesture. I hope Pep accepts that my hope is that we can start with a clean page.
“Of course, I hope Pep takes the decision to bring Yaya back into his squad. But even if he doesn’t, I can assure him that I am not going to speak about him any more in the media.
“I really do hope this can be a new start and that Yaya can help Manchester City to win more trophies.”
Toure has only featured once for City this season – in a European qualifier with Steaua Bucharest in August.
In his absence, Guardiola has led the side to the top of the Premier League and within touching distance of the Champions League knockout stages after Tuesday’s 3-1 win over Barca.