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Gnégnéri Yaya Touré (born 13 May 1983), known as Yaya Touré, is an Ivorian professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Premier League club Manchester City and the Ivory Coast national team.〔(Touré Yaya ) FC Barcelona〕 Touré aspired to be a striker during his youth and has played centre back, including for FC Barcelona in the 2009 UEFA Champions League Final, however he has spent the majority of his career as a box-to-box midfielder for club and country, where he has been regarded as one of the world's best players.〔 He was voted African Footballer of the Year for 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Touré began his playing career at Ivorian club ASEC Mimosas, where he made his debut aged 18. His performances attracted attention from Europe. Touré had stints with Beveren, Metalurh Donetsk, Olympiacos, and AS Monaco before moving to Barcelona in 2007. He played over 100 matches for the club and was part of the historic 2009 Barcelona side that won six trophies in a calendar year. In 2010 Touré moved to Premier League club Manchester City where he scored a number of key goals for the Citizens – most notably the only goals in the 2011 FA Cup semi-final and final. He also helped City earn its first league title in 44 years. Touré has a distinguished international career with over 100 caps for the , representing the team at the 2006, 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup tournaments. He also represented Ivory Coast in six Africa Cup of Nations in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2015, helping them finish runner-up in 2006 and 2012, while captaining them to victory in 2015. He is the younger brother of his Ivory Coast teammate Kolo Touré. They played together at Manchester City for three years, before Kolo was transferred to Liverpool in 2013. ==Early career== Touré joined the ASEC Mimosas youth academy in 1996 on the recommendation of his long-time mentor Patrick van Reijendam. A prominent figure in the ASEC academy was Jean-Marc Guillou. In 2001 Guillou invested heavily in a Belgian club, Beveren, with the aim of using the team to showcase Ivorian players in a European league. Touré moved to Beveren in 2001, one of many ASEC players to do so in this period; by 2003 he was one of 14 Ivorians in the Beveren squad. In the summer of 2003, Touré had a trial with Arsenal.〔(Ivorian gamble failed to pay off for Beveren ) When Saturday Comes, 10 August 2010〕 He started a pre-season friendly against Barnet on 19 July, playing as a second striker and then moving up front in the second half. Manager Arsène Wenger recognised his talent but could not decide on his best position and described his performance against Barnet as "completely average." The game finished 0–0 and the BBC Sport website said that he "blotted his copy book by missing Arsenal's clearest chance of the game, heading a cross from Quincy Owusu-Abeyie wide."〔(Wenger: Barnet 0–0 Arsenal ) BBC Sport, 19 July 2003〕 Wenger was still keen to sign the then 20-year-old but Touré had difficulties in getting a work permit.〔(Wenger: Passport stopped Yaya Toure signing for Arsenal ) Sport.co.uk, 22 October 2010〕 Ultimately, Touré grew impatient and opted to sign for Ukrainian side Metalurh Donetsk instead, where he spent one-and-a-half years.〔(Yaya Toure was average and impatient at Arsenal, says Arsene Wenger ). Metro.co.uk (20 April 2012). Retrieved 7 May 2012.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Yaya Touré」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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