Yaya Toure: I can play until I am 40 years old
Yaya Toure says he will be staying at Manchester City despite speculation to the contrary.
He was linked with Inter Milan and a reunion with his former City boss Roberto Mancini there. But Toure said: "He is one of the great coaches but my contract is with City.
"There was too much speculation about me leaving. Even though the manager was saying I was happy and staying at the club, people still speculate. It's clear that I have my contract at City and I want to see out my contract.
"I've been at City for about five years now and people will always criticise what I'm doing. But I'm a professional and I always try to do my best. Sometimes it isn't easy but in football it's a part of the game. There are always stupid things around me. I always try to focus even though sometimes you can be disturbed.
"Football for me is everything. I can be sure that I know my job very well and sometimes when I hear some people who think they know football better than us I don't want to respond.
"Now I am looking forward. I always want to do my best for the club and help my team-mates, and the manager because he has a lot of trust and confidence in me.
"I have always known for 32 years that I can play until I'm 40 because I know my quality and that's all."
The Ivorian midfielder also thinks signing players like Raheem Sterling will help City catch up with the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona.
"It's wonderful because I think we have signed some great players in Sterling and Delph. We welcome them and we hope they will give us a massive boost," he said.
"The target of the club is to reach that kind of level of Real Madrid and Barcelona. The manager and the chairman are working really hard but the market is not so easy, looking from afar at how many clubs are selling players.
"The most important thing is for the club to try to improve. You have to understand, if you want important players you have to be winning and doing well. And if we are doing well, then it's a sure thing a couple of good players will come.
"We are a young squad and we have a couple of young players coming through. What we have to do is keep working hard and believe the chairman can do something to bring quality players to the squad.
"If he does that will make it possible (to reach the level of Madrid and Barcelona) because this year is a massive challenge for us. After last season we need to bounce back for our fans and make them proud."
