Yaya Toure expects return to Barcelona

(GETTY IMAGES)

New Manchester City signing Yaya Toure admits he was sad to leave Barcelona but says he will return to the Catalan club one day.

City paid Barcelona around £27.5million for the defensive midfielder, who will reportedly become the highest-paid player in the Barclays Premier League.

Nevertheless, Toure says the decision to leave Barcelona was a difficult one.

"The decision to leave was complicated because Barca is the team of my whole life," he told radio station RAC-1.

"It was a sad decision because everybody wants to come to Barca and I have had to leave, but not playing has been difficult and it wouldn't have been normal to just sit on the bench and pick up the money."

Toure, who will link up with his brother Kolo at City, says his agent, Dimitri Seluk, was instrumental in the move.

"He told me I had to leave," he said.

"I wanted to bring more joy to the fans, but life is like that. Barca is a great club with the best players in the world and I have played less in this third season, which for me has been difficult."

Nevertheless, Toure hopes to return to the Nou Camp one day.

"I don't feel that I'm away from Barca and I'm sure I'll go back one day," he said.