Yaya Toure: Ex-Man City star announces retirement with plans to begin coaching career

The Ivorian brings an end to a 18-year career and has not played since ending a short spell with Olympiacos last year

Yaya Toure has announced his retirement from playing and is now ready to become a coach, his agent has claimed.

Greek club Olympiacos terminated the Ivorian’s contract in December after joining the Greek giants earlier that year following eight years with Man City.

But Dimitri Seluk has now clarified his client’s future with the 35-year-old set to remain in the game.

Selcuk told Russian website Sport 24: “Yaya has decided to end his career as a champion. The farewell match which Manchester City gave him was, in principle, the real end of his playing career, not only in that team, but in general.

“Yaya is one of the best players in Africa and had one of the brightest careers in the history of African football, so should leave football at its peak. We talked for a long time on this topic.

“Of course every footballer wants to play as long as possible and in terms of his physical condition Yaya could do this at a sufficiently high level for another five years.”

Toure played 316 times for City, scoring 79 goals and winning three Premier League titles, two League Cups, and an FA Cup.

Yaya Toure has called time on his career (AFP/Getty Images)

Selcuk said Toure, who also won the Champions League with his previous club Barcelona, decided to end a brief association with Olympiacos after they reneged on a promise to give him a coaching role.

Selcuk added: “I’m sure that two years after Yaya gets the Pro coaching license, he will head one of the serious clubs and achieve great success in the coaching field. Now he has already begun to take steps in this direction.”