I'd like to think that IF he ends up in the starting XI, he would be there on merit. Can't help but think his signing is FSG's way of answering back at claims of their age-limit rule on signings - without spending much in the process.
Kolo Toure deal agreed !
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You forgot to bold "starting XI" and "age-limit rule", gk. 😛
I don't think it's that, older players on the right deals make sense.
It's just that the right deals usually arent available. There's still an expectation in football that your next contract will be better than the last one, but I think the tide is turning for older players now.
Kolo Toure to sign for Liverpool on July 1
28 May 2013 18:08
Experienced centre back to join Reds when Manchester City deal expires
Kolo Toure tangles with Raheem Sterling at Anfield
Kolo Toure will join Liverpool FC on a free transfer from Manchester City after agreeing a two-year deal.
The 32-year-old defender finalised personal terms and passed his medical today to become the Reds' first signing of the summer.
Toure’s contract at Eastlands expires at the end of June so he will officially become a Liverpool player on July 1.
Boss Brendan Rodgers has made no secret of his desire to add more experience to his ranks during the transfer window and firmly believes the Ivory Coast international centre-back fits the bill.
Toure has graced the Premier League for more than a decade and has won the title with both Arsenal and Man City.
He is viewed as a valuable squad player rather than as a direct replacement for retired vice-captain Jamie Carragher.
Liverpool are also keen to sign Sporting Lisbon’s young defender Tiago Ilori, with major doubts surrounding the Anfield futures of both Martin Skrtel and Sebastian Coates.
Skrtel has made it clear he wants to consider his options having fallen out of favour in the second half of last season, while Liverpool are open to offers for Coates.
Toure arrived in England back in 2002 when he signed for Arsenal from ASEC Mimosas in his homeland for a fee of £150,000.
He started out for the Gunners as a midfielder and then played at right-back before Arsene Wenger moved him to centre-back.
In 2003/04 he established a successful partnership with Sol Campbell as they clinched the Premier League title and went through the entire campaign unbeaten. He also won the FA Cup twice during his seven-year stay in North London.
Toure was instrumental in their run to the 2006 Champions League final against Barcelona and a year later he skippered them in the League Cup final defeat to Chelsea.
After 326 appearances for Arsenal, he departed in July 2009 when Manchester City agreed a fee of £16million and he was appointed club captain by Mark Hughes.
He remained a first team regular under Roberto Mancini but in March 2011 he was hit with a six-month ban after failing a drugs test.
Toure tested positive for a doping offence after taking his wife’s diet pills in an effort to lose weight.
He could have faced a two-year suspension but an FA commission decided that he hadn't intended to enhance sporting performance or mask the use of a performance enhancing substance.
Having missed City’s FA Cup final triumph, he returned from his ban to make 14 league appearances as Mancini’s side won the title in 2012.
Last term he played in 18 games in all competitions – to take his tally for City to 102 appearances – before embarking on their end-of-season tour of America.
After returning to the UK, he headed to Merseyside for talks and has accepted Rodgers' offer to join the Reds on a two-year contract.
Toure also boasts a wealth of experience at international level having picked up 105 caps for Ivory Coast and played in the past two World Cups.
28 May 2013 18:08
Experienced centre back to join Reds when Manchester City deal expires
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Kolo Toure will join Liverpool FC on a free transfer from Manchester City after agreeing a two-year deal.
The 32-year-old defender finalised personal terms and passed his medical today to become the Reds' first signing of the summer.
Toure’s contract at Eastlands expires at the end of June so he will officially become a Liverpool player on July 1.
Boss Brendan Rodgers has made no secret of his desire to add more experience to his ranks during the transfer window and firmly believes the Ivory Coast international centre-back fits the bill.
Toure has graced the Premier League for more than a decade and has won the title with both Arsenal and Man City.
He is viewed as a valuable squad player rather than as a direct replacement for retired vice-captain Jamie Carragher.
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Rodgers’ No 1 defensive target this summer remains Schalke's talented centre-back Kyriakos Papadopoulos with the Reds determined to secure the services of the £12million-rated 21-year-old Greek international.Liverpool are also keen to sign Sporting Lisbon’s young defender Tiago Ilori, with major doubts surrounding the Anfield futures of both Martin Skrtel and Sebastian Coates.
Skrtel has made it clear he wants to consider his options having fallen out of favour in the second half of last season, while Liverpool are open to offers for Coates.
Toure arrived in England back in 2002 when he signed for Arsenal from ASEC Mimosas in his homeland for a fee of £150,000.
He started out for the Gunners as a midfielder and then played at right-back before Arsene Wenger moved him to centre-back.
In 2003/04 he established a successful partnership with Sol Campbell as they clinched the Premier League title and went through the entire campaign unbeaten. He also won the FA Cup twice during his seven-year stay in North London.
Toure was instrumental in their run to the 2006 Champions League final against Barcelona and a year later he skippered them in the League Cup final defeat to Chelsea.
After 326 appearances for Arsenal, he departed in July 2009 when Manchester City agreed a fee of £16million and he was appointed club captain by Mark Hughes.
He remained a first team regular under Roberto Mancini but in March 2011 he was hit with a six-month ban after failing a drugs test.
Toure tested positive for a doping offence after taking his wife’s diet pills in an effort to lose weight.
He could have faced a two-year suspension but an FA commission decided that he hadn't intended to enhance sporting performance or mask the use of a performance enhancing substance.
Having missed City’s FA Cup final triumph, he returned from his ban to make 14 league appearances as Mancini’s side won the title in 2012.
Last term he played in 18 games in all competitions – to take his tally for City to 102 appearances – before embarking on their end-of-season tour of America.
After returning to the UK, he headed to Merseyside for talks and has accepted Rodgers' offer to join the Reds on a two-year contract.
Toure also boasts a wealth of experience at international level having picked up 105 caps for Ivory Coast and played in the past two World Cups.
Yeah, I don't think that's the main reason but I can see FSG telling Rodgers "You want to sign a over-30 yr old player? Fine, but we aren't going to spend 8m-10m on him" thus this Toure deal (and hopefully end of Williams rumour).
On a sidenote, the way our interest were kept under wraps (only reported after things were more or less tied-up) and the speed of the deal looks good. Hope it bodes well for future signings.
On a sidenote, the way our interest were kept under wraps (only reported after things were more or less tied-up) and the speed of the deal looks good. Hope it bodes well for future signings.
fucking odd signing. never watched him play but i know he'll be fucking awful.
R
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say what you want but he shits experience . whether he can still do it we'll have to see but i'm not at all bother or outraged by this signing as most of you .
joke hole vibes.
I'll be very happy with the defence if we sign up Papa too, I really hope we get it all sorted soon.
With Papa and Toure, we'd have replaced, and improved upon, Carragher and Skrtel for about £6million whilst halving the wages, great business.
How? No £5 Million signing on fee, and less in wages I'd imagaine. This after getting rid of Cole's 100k a week, and the end of Carra's 100k a week.
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA Ha Ha Ha Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha oh dear.........
Indeed. We've already massively cut the wage bill, will do so further in other places, still have a £20-25M budget before sales, and lest we forget we're not in Europe next year. Why people are freaking out about this is beyond me.
Oh look, its not bad blah blah
Better than williams blah blah
The wages blah blah
Winning mentality blah blah
4th choice blah blah blah blahdy fucking blah.
HES FUCKING SHIT.
We are wasting money on SHIT!!
This is the first time in a long time ive been this pissed off about a signing.
Stupid fucking waste of money.
Still at least the Scando's are happy.
Wabs.
Better than williams blah blah
The wages blah blah
Winning mentality blah blah
4th choice blah blah blah blahdy fucking blah.
HES FUCKING SHIT.
We are wasting money on SHIT!!
This is the first time in a long time ive been this pissed off about a signing.
Stupid fucking waste of money.
Still at least the Scando's are happy.
Wabs.
What does 'wab' mean?
Oncy in time of the month shocker! Lighten up gorgeous 🙂
a couple of years ago we would probably have shelled out 6m for a williams or dunn as a back-up, or signed some no-body from the swiss/belgium league for a freebie as a back-up. we have now signed someone who is decent but more importantly a lot of experience ( for our young squad) on a freebie and who if screws up we could probably release without any worries. Yes not an amazing signing, but from a very low base we are imprving in terms of transfer acumen.
Hansern, scouts don't watch the players that their club has already signed. They watch players who play for other clubs. That's how they identify targets, if they watched their own club and scouted their own players then they'd just keep recommending to the manager to sign players that he has already signed and the whole system would break down.
Interesting reading from the citeh fans. He was held in moderate to high regard it seems.
http://forums.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=284830
http://forums.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=284830
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