Football agent Dimitry Seluk has claimed that his former client Yaya Toure will join the coaching crew of Ukrainian Premier League side FC Olimpik Donetsk.
Goal has reached out to the African football great and his current representative for confirmation of Toure's future and his potential coaching role at the time of filing this report.
The former Barcelona and Manchester City midfielder has not joined any team since leaving Chinese side Qingdao Huanghai on January 1, 2020.
Toure trained with League Two side Leyton Orient for a brief period but wasn't offered a contract, and his agent reportedly reached out to several other clubs in a bid to revive his career.
Earlier in his career, Toure had joined Metalurh Donetsk (also in Ukraine) from Beveren in 2003.
Now at the age of 37, after winning three Premier League titles during his eight-year spell at the Etihad Stadium, he has led a few coaching sessions at youth level in the Championship.
“The coronavirus pandemic has made things difficult in a lot of ways – it was the reason I left Qingdao Huanghai in China at the start of 2020 – but it has given me the opportunity to learn,” Toure wrote in the Coaches' Voice.
“I have taken the chance to start doing my coaching badges and think about the next chapter. I’ve already made good progress in gaining my qualifications.
“But sitting in an office the whole time – that’s not me.
“I want to be out on the grass, interacting with other people, exchanging ideas. I’ve been very lucky that Chris Ramsey has given me the opportunity to do that at QPR.
“I’ve been able to lead coaching sessions with the younger age groups, watch Chris coach and learn from him, as well as lots of other good coaches like Andrew Impey and Paul Hall. Les Ferdinand has been great, giving me the chance to watch these coaches in action. They have pushed me to learn and have shown me what you need to do differently to be a top coach.
“I’ve also had the chance to go to Blackburn thanks to Stuart Jones, and the PFA – through Geoff Lomax – have given me great opportunities too. I’m learning all the time, and I love it!
“At QPR, after the sessions, I spend time with the players chatting to them. It really is amazing to see how committed they are. They want to achieve as much as I did, and they always want to learn how to be better. It’s amazing to be able to help them, and I’m delighted that I have that chance.”
With this development, Toure who enjoyed a hugely successful career spanning almost 20 years, could possibly follow a similar path as his brother Kolo, who is an assistant coach to Brendan Rodgers at Leicester City.
