A long time ago, before the name Yaya Toure was known, the Ivorian spent a couple of weeks on trial at Arsenal Football Club, and despite impressing manager Arsene Wenger, he still didn’t get offered a full-time deal due to difference of opinion.
Before his FC Barcelona and Mancheste City days, Toure was in training with Arsenal and in a recent interview, he has revealed the opening chat he had with Wenger upon arrival.
The strong midfielder admitted that Wenger played him as a striker and didn’t see him as a potential midfielder, but then all changed when Toure asked him about the position situation.
“It started when I was in Belgium and I went to Arsenal to do some training.
“I remember the first chat I had with Arsene Wenger. He asked me: ‘Yaya, which position do you want to play?’ I told him I wanted to be a midfielder. He said: ‘Why? When I saw you training, for me you look more like a striker.’ I said: ‘Ah, that’s why you keep playing me up front! Move me, I want to play in midfield like Patrick Vieira.
“I can play like Patrick and I can be better than Patrick.’ He said: ‘No, no. That’s impossible. No one is better than Patrick.’
The interviewer then asked Toure whether he was better than Vieira, but the Ivorian refused to big himself up.
“No, Patrick is unbelievable, with the trophies he has.
“Arsene liked me further forward because when I was training close to the goal I would take five shots and score with four of them. That was not too bad, but for me I wanted to definitely play in midfield.
“Then when I went back to Belgium the manager moved me further forward. It was nice and I enjoyed it but after that I moved back into midfield.”
Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles
