Liverpool Football Club can today announce they have agreed
a deal in principle with Kolo Toure to join the club on July 1.
The powerful defender will be registered as a Reds player
when his current deal with Manchester City expires.
Toure, 32, will arrive at Anfield boasting a wealth of
experience having represented both City and Arsenal in the Barclays Premier
League since switching to English football in 2002 and add depth to Brendan
Rodgers' defensive ranks ahead of 2013-14.
The Ivory Coast international, signed by Arsene Wenger from
homeland club ASEC Mimosas, made his Gunners debut in the 2002 Community Shield
against Liverpool at the Millennium Stadium.
Originally deployed in midfield or at full-back, Toure was
moved to centre-back for the 2003-04 season and helped Arsenal go the entire
league season unbeaten as they swept to the title, adding to the FA Cup they'd
lifted the previous season.
He added a second FA Cup medal in 2005, while a year later
he was part of the Arsenal side that reached the Champions League final against
Barcelona having scored the only goal of the two-legged semi-final with
Villarreal.
After more than 200 appearances for the Londoners, Toure was
firmly established as one of the finest centre-backs in the league - and
Manchester City duly swooped to sign him in the summer of 2009 and immediately
appointed him club captain.
During his four years at Eastlands, he lifted another
Premier League title and FA Cup in over 100 appearances for City.
On the international stage, Toure has represented the Ivory
Coast at two African Cup of Nations tournaments and two World Cup finals. He
has more than a century of caps for his country, for whom he has also worn the
skipper's armband.
He'll become the first Ivorian to play for Liverpool when he
joins the club.
10 facts about the centre-back.
1. Toure's
trophy haul boasts 11 honours, including league titles at all three of his
previous clubs - ASEC Mimosas, Arsenal and Manchester City. His other medals
came from winning the FA Cup and Community Shield on three occasions each,
along with lifting the CAF Super Cup at the age of 18.
2. Kolo is
one of three brothers plying their trade in professional football, with his
siblings Yaya and Ibrahim playing for Manchester City and Al-Nasr respectively.
He had previously played alongside Yaya since the start of the 2010-11
campaign, when his sibling arrived at the Etihad Stadium from Barcelona.
3.
Highlighting his leadership qualities, Toure has captained Arsenal, City and
the Ivory Coast national team in his career. While accumulating 105
international caps, the defender has been a runner-up in the Africa Cup of
Nations twice and has appeared in five matches at the World Cup. Toure has also
found the net six times for his country.
4. Toure
will become the first Ivorian to join Liverpool in the club's history and
becomes the latest player from the African continent to represent the Reds.
Moroccan winger Oussama Assaidi was the last African to sign for the club. Kolo
is the eighth player Brendan Rodgers has brought to Anfield since being
appointed manager in the summer of 2012.
5. Having
played as a winger or a striker in the very early stages of his career, Toure
reverted to a defensive midfield role before eventually being deployed as a
defender. After initially being a
utility player for Arsenal, the 32-year-old consolidated his position at the
heart of their defence and has remained a centre-back ever since.
6. In a
quirky twist of fate, Toure made his first-ever Arsenal appearance against
Liverpool in the FA Community Shield in 2002 and also donned the Gunners'
armband for the first time when facing the Reds in the League Cup five years
later.
7. Toure
will become the fifth player to swap Manchester City for Liverpool, following
in the footsteps of Patrick Finnerhan, Matt Busby, Robbie Fowler and Craig
Bellamy. The centre-back's free transfer means each of the last three deals
have included no money changing hands. Eight players have travelled in the
opposite direction, with the most recent being Nigel Clough in January 1996.
8. During
his spells with former clubs, the Ivorian clashed with the Reds 21 times - he
ran out victorious on 10 occasions, drawing seven times and losing just four
matches. The defender found the net against Liverpool once, in a 3-0 defeat to
Arsenal in November 2006.
9. Kolo
should not be short of conversation with Australian goalkeeper Brad Jones when
he is introduced to the Liverpool squad - the pair share a birthday, March 19.
The Ivorian is one year older than his new teammate, however - Toure was born
in 1981, while Jones was born in 1982. The aforementioned Nigel Clough also
celebrates his birthday on that date - he was born in 1966.
10. Brendan
Rodgers will become Toure's fourth different club manager since arriving on
English shores, and the fourth different nationality the Ivorian has worked
under. Frenchman Arsene Wenger brought the defender to Arsenal, Welshman Mark
Hughes signed him for Manchester City, where Italian Roberto Mancini took the
reins shortly after. Now Toure will look forward to working with Northern
Irishman Rodgers.
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