Yaya Toure IS happy with life at Manchester City, says boss Manuel Pellegrini 

Manuel Pellegrini believes Yaya Toure can still fulfil his ambitions at Manchester City and insists the Ivory Coast star deserves to wear the captain’s armband despite his latest controversial comments.

It is understood that City will listen to offers for Toure this summer and the midfielder has cast further doubt over his future by saying that his £220,000-a-week contract at the Etihad will not stop him leaving to pursue ‘new challenges’ amid interest from Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.

But Pellegrini said: ‘Maybe the new challenge is City also. There are lot of different places you can have it. City also is a challenge and I am sure Yaya is very happy here. 

Manchester City boss Pellegrini says Toure is happy to remain at the Etihad next season  

Manchester City boss Pellegrini says Toure is happy to remain at the Etihad next season  

Sergio Aguero - in training on Friday - is still well in the hunt to be the league's top scorer this season 

Sergio Aguero - in training on Friday - is still well in the hunt to be the league's top scorer this season 

‘In a club, especially a big club, you have a problem every day. You always have problems, you have to manage them in the best way you can. It’s important that everyone can say what they want.’

Asked if Toure deserves to continue as captain against Aston Villa on Saturday in the absence of Vincent Kompany, who will be out for at least another two weeks with a groin injury, Pellegrini replied: ‘Yes, for the next game. He’s the captain at this moment.

‘I always trust in Yaya, he’s a very important player for us. He’s a great player. He’s absolutely involved in our project. As every player, he has bad and good moments but at this moment he deserves to be the captain.

‘He is always leading the other players, they trust a lot in him.’

Pellegrini confirmed that City will take a full-strength squad on their two-game post-season tour of North America even though Sergio Aguero, Pablo Zabaleta, Martin Demichelis and Fernandinho — who were all involved in the latter stages of the World Cup with Argentina and Brazil last summer — are set to play in the Copa America before the new Premier League season kicks off.

Toure celebrates with his team-mates during the comfortable victory over West Ham 

Toure celebrates with his team-mates during the comfortable victory over West Ham 

Pellegrini believes Man City have enough ambition to satisfy Toure  heading into next season

Pellegrini believes Man City have enough ambition to satisfy Toure  heading into next season

David Silva suffered a nasty face injury following a clash with West Ham's Cheikou Kouyate 

David Silva suffered a nasty face injury following a clash with West Ham's Cheikou Kouyate 

Kouyate was booked for the incident - but Silva has been passed fit by Pellegrini 

Kouyate was booked for the incident - but Silva has been passed fit by Pellegrini 

 

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