Toure fuels want-away talk with ‘honour’ to play for PSG

Yaya Toure has said it would be an "honour" to play for Paris Saint-Germain as the midfielder continues to suggest he wants to leave Manchester City.

Last week he claimed discontent at the club owing to a lack of acknowledgment from the City hierarchy on his 31st birthday. The Ivorian has since reiterated his wish to return to Barcelona and now says that he would be happy to play for PSG too.

“Given the goals of Paris, how could you not be interested in a club like that?” Toure told France Football. “PSG have become one of the strongest teams in Europe. It would be an honour to one day play for a club like that. If I can be of service [then good].

"Given the magnificent season Manchester City have had, everyone talks about me and everything is open. My agent, Dimitry [Seluk], is hanging on the telephone and he knows what he has to do, I have complete confidence in him. Nobody knows what can happen tomorrow, my attention is on the World Cup and we will see afterwards."

Regarding Barca, from whom Toure joined City, he said: “Yes, I have said I would like to finish my career at Barcelona. You never know because football moves quickly, you never know.”

While City maintain the belief that Toure is content at the club and will still be their player next season, the champions are ready for more potentially controversial comments from him in the build-up to the World Cup and during the tournament.

Bacary Sagna, the Arsenal right-back City are confident will sign imminently on a free transfer, has said there is a "10 per cent" chance he could remain at the Emirates.

“My situation will be sorted out before the World Cup but I haven’t signed for anyone so far,” he told French football programme Téléfoot. “I don’t have any agreement with Manchester City or anyone else. Several European and English clubs have contacted me. Certain talks have gone further than others and Manchester City are among them. But today, I’m still an Arsenal player. Today, there’s a 90 per cent chance I will leave and 10 per cent that I will stay. I have been asking myself that question for a long time, and it’s the time for a new challenge.”

Edin Dzeko said he may one day play in Serie A. The striker, whose goals were pivotal in City's late run to the title, said: "Would I go to Italy? City have just won the Premier League, we want to do better in the next Champions League. But I have always thought it would be nice to experience Italy. When, I do not know."

Meanwhile, Luis Suarez has sent text messages to club-mates at Liverpool confirming he will be fit to play against England at the World Cup finals, despite the forward having required arthroscopic surgery on a knee injury in Montevideo last week.

The Uruguay striker suffered meniscus damage in his left knee while warming up for training with the national team before the tournament. Suarez underwent MRI scans which confirmed the source of the sharp pain in the joint and underwent a minor operation last Thursday, leaving the Medica Uruguaya hospital in a wheelchair.

Wilmar Valdez, president of the Uruguayan football association, later claimed the procedure – performed by Dr Luis Francescoli, brother of the former Uruguay striker Enzo – had been “a success” and the team doctor, Alberto Pan, confirmed yesterday that the player is “evolving well” in his recovery.

Suarez in race for fitness Uruguay open their campaign against Costa Rica on June 14th, with Pan suggesting he could not offer “absolute certainty” that the 27-year-old will be fit and available for that game, but the player himself is confident he will be available to take on England in Sao Paulo in their second Group D fixture on June 19th.

Suarez has five Liverpool club-mates in Roy Hodgson’s full squad – Steven Gerrard, Jordan Henderson, Glen Johnson, Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling – with Jon Flanagan on the standby list. And the Uruguayan has been in contact with them, offering an indication he will be fit for the game at the Arena de Sao Paulo.

England will prepare for that awkward fixture in anticipation of confronting Suarez alongside the Paris Saint-Germain forward Edinson Cavani. Recovery times for meniscus repairs typically range from three to 10 weeks. “Luis is very positive,” said Pan. “I never heard a negative expression and he says it is better every day. Suarez is painless [and] is working on fitness.” Guardian Service