Toure agent hits back at City's Guardiola
Sep 20, 2016 - 5:30 PM Yaya Toure's agent has become embroiled in an extraordinary war of words with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.Guardiola said on Tuesday the midfielder will not play for him again until his representative, Dimitri Seluk, apologises for recent remarks.
But Seluk, who claimed Guardiola had humiliated Toure by leaving him out of City's Champions League squad, has said it is the Spaniard who should be saying sorry.
Seluk listed a string of complaints against City's manager, including the manner in which he succeeded Manuel Pellegrini in the summer and then replaced goalkeeper Joe Hart.
"Guardiola wins a few games and he thinks he is king. I live in Europe so I can say whatever I like and Guardiola cannot stop me," Seluk said.
"I will apologise to Guardiola if he will apologise to Pellegrini for what he did to him. If you are a gentleman this just does not happen.
"He signed a new contract last year then he gets pushed out for Guardiola to come in. Pellegrini was a gentleman.
"Guardiola also needs to apologise to Joe Hart. It's not right to come to England and then get rid of a few English players."
Seluk has a long history of making contentious remarks backing his client.
The most famous came in 2014 when he claimed City showed Toure a lack of respect on his 31st birthday by not giving him a cake.
He spoke up again earlier this month when Guardiola made the decision not to include the player, who he previously coached at Barcelona, in his 25-man squad for the Champions League group stages.
This action was widely perceived as the latest indicator that Toure, who is now in the final year of his contract, does not feature in Guardiola's plans.
The 33-year-old has appeared just once in City's eight games this season and did not even make the bench for the other seven.
It is now apparent this was more than just a tactical decision.
Speaking at a press conference to preview Wednesday's EFL Cup tie at Swansea, in which it was assumed Toure could feature, Guardiola said: "It was so difficult for me to put him out of the Champions League, so difficult. I know him, I know he's a good good guy - but the list is the list.
"But the day after, his manager spoke. In that moment Yaya is out. I accept if Mr Dimitri Seluk came in a press conference or (spoke to) his friends in the media - because he has not the courage to call me - and apologised to Manchester City, his teammates and the trainer.
"When that happens Yaya will be part of the group and he will have the same chance to play all the games."
The row overshadowed Toure's decision, announced via social media, to retire from international football with Ivory Coast.
Guardiola also revealed captain Vincent Kompany, out since May with a thigh injury, could return at the Liberty Stadium.
Source: AAP
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