Former Man City and Barca star Yaya Toure open to Malaysia stint?

Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure is open to a playing stint in Southeast Asia, according to his public relations agency Harcus Consultancy Group.

Although the former Barcelona and Manchester City ace is 37 this year, he is ready to make his name in the subcontinent following a stint with Chinese side Qingdao Huanghai in 2019, where he helped them win the second tier title and win promotion.

In a press release, Harcus CEO Richard Harcus explained the desire of its client.

"I can speak for everyone here when I say, we are delighted to be working with Yaya Touré for the ASEAN (Southeast Asian) region and assisting his other partners, where we can, to ensure that this high level of service continues. It's no secret that Yaya Touré is an absolute legend in world football and has an incredible worldwide fanbase". 

"We hope to help develop, grow and service that fanbase for the ASEAN region and more, both on and off the pitch. This starts by looking to keep his playing career in Asia. He has just finished his contract in China and we would love to keep him here by assisting in getting him a club where the Asian fans can continue to watch him."

On top of European domestic silverware, he has also won the UEFA Champions League with Barcelona, as well as the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast, for whom he was capped 101 times. He also won four consecutive African Footballer of the Year awards, from 2011 to 2014.

Interestingly, this is not Toure's first attempt to break into the Southeast Asian market. According to Indonesian sources, in 2019 his representative tried finding him a club in the republic, but the move eventually never materialised.