'He thinks he's king, if he wants a war he can have one' - Toure's agent hits back at Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola on Tuesday in a press conference insisted that for Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure to come back to the team, his agent will have to apologize for speaking against the team.

Now Yaya's outspoken agent Dimitri Seluk has fired back at the Man City coach saying he'll say what he likes and that Pep feels like a king because he's been winning games.

Seluk also called on the Spaniard to apologise to goalkeeper Joe Hart and former City boss Manuel Pellegrini for his role in their Etihad exits.

He said:

‘If Guardiola wants a war, then he can have one. I felt that Pep was being vindictive to Yaya. He has reacted to what I have said by punishing Yaya again. Pep doesn’t want players with personality. He only wants players who are scared of him and will do what he says. 

‘The first thing he did when he arrived at City was to pick a fight with Yaya and Joe Hart, two of the club’s biggest players. They have both been big personalities in the dressing room at City and Guardiola doesn’t like that.  

‘What do I need to apologise for? I will apologise to Guardiola if he will apologise to Pellegrini for what he did to him. Colleagues should have respect for each other, especially in England where it is important to act like a gentleman. 

‘He also needs to apologise to Joe Hart. It’s not right to come to England and then get rid of a few English players. Guardiola wins a few games and thinks he is king.’

Friday Transfer News: Joe Hart Begs Reds, United told to splash the cash

Man City goalkeeper Joe Hart is willing to take a pay cut in order to join Liverpool while Man United are linked with a new defender, according the Friday’s papers.

England No.1 Joe Hart is reportedly open to lowering his salary so he can end his Man City exile and join Premier League rivals Liverpool, according to The Sun.

Following the arrival of Claudio Bravo from Barcelona, Hart is set to become Pep Guardiola’s third-choice option at the Etihad. A demotion that puts his long-term England future under serious threat.

Hart admitted after the Champions League qualifier against Steaua Bucharest that there is a ‘situation’ to resolve, and taking a pay cut is an option if it means regular first-team football.

There does not appear to a long queue of clubs interested in taking the 29-year-old, with Everton the latest team to confirm that they have no interest in signing him.

Hart has less than a week to resolve his future, but his apparent willingness to negotiate his salary could lead to a last-ditch transfer.

Manchester United are weighing up whether to make one, final major signing before the transfer window slams shut, with Monaco telling the Red Devils it will cost £25m to land full-back Fabinho.

Dubbed the ‘new Dani Alves’ by the French media, L’Equipe believe that Jose Mourinho has been tracking the Brazilian all summer and still caught in two minds whether to meet the hefty asking price.

After reaching the Champions League group stages Monaco are under no pressure to sell their full-back, who scored eight goals in all competitions last season. The 22-year-old is said to be ‘relaxed’ about his future and is not particularly looking to leave the Ligue 1 club, so United will have to dig deep if they want to sign him.

Other Tranfer News

Tottenham are considering a move for Manchester City and France defender Eliaquim Mangala, 25, before Wednesday’s transfer deadline (ESPN)

Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha has told manager Alan Pardew he wants the leave the club, amid Tottenham’s interest in the 23-year-old (Daily Mail)

Bookmakers are convinced Zaha will become Spurs’ third summer signing (Daily Star)

West Ham have agreed a £24m fee with Juventus for Simone Zaza and the 25-year-old Italy forward is currently in talks with the Premier League club (Guardian)

Southampton defender Jose Fonte, 32, is set to stay at the club after holding one-on-one talks about his future with chairman Ralph Krueger (Metro)

Premier League champions Leicester City are weighing up a club record £25m bid for Sevilla midfielder Steven N’Zonzi, 27 (Daily Telegraph)

Hull City’s caretaker boss Mike Phelan, who was assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, says striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was on the Scot’s radar while he was in charge at Old Trafford (Manchester Evening News)

Napoli are relying on Everton to bid for their striker Manolo Gabbiadini, 24, so they can move for Serie A rivals Fiorentina’s Nikola Kalinic, 28 (Gazzetta dello Sport)

Valencia are considering a move for Manchester United defender Marcos Rojo, 26. (Deporte Valenciano)

Striker Gabriel Barbosa, 19, a target for Manchester United, is “mulling over” several offers, but could be heading to Juventus or Inter Milan. (Gazzetta dello Sport)

Watford have agreed an £8.5m deal to sign Gent’s Sven Kums, 28, with the midfielder set to move to the Hornets’ Italian sister club Udinese on loan for the rest of the season. (Het Laatste Nieuws)

West Brom will improve their offer for Jay Rodriguez, 27, as they look to beat Hull City to the loan signing of the Southampton forward (Birmingham Mail)

Newcastle United are in talks to sign Palermo left-back Achraf Lazaar, 24. The Morocco international has also attracted interest from West Ham, Southampton and Crystal Palace this summer (Evening Chronicle)

Derby County want to sign Watford forward Matej Vydra, 24 (Derby Telegraph)

Aston Villa centre-back Joleon Lescott, 34, is the subject of interest from Greek clubs Olympiakos and AEK Athens (Sport24)

Crystal Palace are interested in signing attacking midfielder Lucas Lima, 26, from Brazilian club Santos (UOL Esporte)

Jose Mourinho has hired Brazilian former Arsenal scout Sandro Orlandelli for Manchester United (Lance, via Metro)

United goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, 23, is wanted by Nottingham Forest and Cardiff City (Daily Mail)

Brighton & Hove Albion remain keen on signing Blackburn Rovers defender Shane Duffy, 24, before the transfer window closes (Lancashire Telegraph)

 

Joe Hart: Man City goalkeeper can leave - Pep Guardiola

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said goalkeeper Joe Hart can leave the Premier League club if he asks to.

England international Hart, 29, is considering a move after being dropped, with Everton and Sevilla interested.

"I don't want players to stay if they don't want," Guardiola said. "If they want to stay, stay and we will fight together."

The loan move Hart favours, with less than two weeks of the transfer window left, is still the most likely outcome.

That would allow him to assess his options over the course of the season.

Barcelona's Claudio Bravo and Marc-Andre ter Stegen have been linked with moves to Etihad Stadium, while Guardiola selected Argentine goalkeeper Willy Caballero against Sunderland and in City's 5-0 Champions League qualifier victory over Steaua Bucharest on Tuesday.

It is understood Guardiola and Hart, who knows he has no future at the club, have not built up any kind of relationship. The Spaniard does not believe Hart has the time to become the kind of 'sweeper-keeper' he wants to play with.

Guardiola added: "If he stays he will improve. He understands what we want from our goalkeeper.

"I spoke with Joe from the first moment we met in China. I try to be clear with my players and I was clear with him. I have a lot of respect for him.

"Maybe Joe will stay here and be a player who will fight with the other goalkeepers to convince me to play him. That is the way it is - nothing has changed."

Guardiola said he knew Hart's "value" and "talent", but that he had come to City to "play the way I like".

"The first thing I am looking for from the goalkeeper is to save," said the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach.

"After that he has to be able to play with the ball. He has to be help us to create a good build-up. That is why I am here."

The 45-year-old added: "We are not an academy with time. Here we have time - but not too much.

"The big teams don't give me time to create something. People want results immediately."

Hart has made nearly 350 appearances for City in all competitions since joining them from Shrewsbury in 2006.

He was England's most senior player at Euro 2016 behind captain Wayne Rooney with 63 caps, but he had a disappointing campaign with mistakes against Wales and Iceland as Roy Hodgson's side suffered a shock last-16 defeat by minnows Iceland.

Midfielder Yaya Toure is yet to feature in any of Guardiola's match-day squads this season, despite appearing to be injury-free.

Guardiola insists the 33-year-old Ivory Coast international will get a chance when he has proved he is match fit - that is if Toure "wants to stay" at the club.

"Yaya is trying. He loves to play," added Guardiola.

"I have spoken to him about the situation. He is a player with huge quality.

"I have a lot of respect for him. I know when he increases his intensity without the ball he will be part of the group - if he wants to stay."