Yaya Toure dismisses Manchester City exit talk

Yaya Toure is adamant he is not thinking about leaving Manchester City in the January transfer window.

The 33-year-old seemed likely to depart earlier this season after falling out with head coach Pep Guardiola at the start of the 2016-17 campaign, but he has been reinstated to the first team in recent weeks after apologising for comments made by his agent.

The former Ivory Coast international has still been linked with a January exit, but the midfielder – whose contract is due to expire in June – has dismissed suggestions he could leave Etihad Stadium in favour of a lucrative move to China.

“No, I will not speak to other clubs during the transfer window,” Toure was quoted as saying by Sky Sports.

“My focus is on City. The future is there because for now the league is not finished. Me and the guys are always focused. That is the main point. I am a footballer, I belong to the field.”

Leaders Chelsea will go 10 points clear of third-placed City if they beat Tottenham at White Hart Lane on Wednesday, but Toure is refusing to throw in the towel just yet.

“Chelsea are in a good way but we are going to fight until the end, make it difficult. At the moment, we are not in our best form but we have to be able to deliver,” he added.

“City have always been a team who fight to the end to win a trophy and at the moment we are not happy with the position in the league. We have to fight. We are starting the second half of the season and I think we will have to be almost perfect.

“We will have to win all the games when we play the top four. The lads, the fans, the manager, we are all understanding that and we will try to do our best to get there.”