Yaya Touré appears ready to take on one final challenge in his playing career, despite earlier rumors suggesting he might retire. The Ivorian midfielder, formerly of Manchester City and Barcelona, has arrived in China to undergo a trial with Qingdao Huanghai, a second-division club, according to AFP.
Touré, 36, has been without a club since leaving Olympiacos in December after a brief three-month stint with the Greek side. While some British media reports suggested he was close to signing with Qingdao, a club spokesperson clarified that the Ivorian is currently only on trial. “The coaches will assess his fitness and physical abilities before deciding whether or not his arrival is desirable for our team,” the representative stated.
During his illustrious career, Touré won three Premier League titles in seven seasons with Manchester City and was a mainstay for both club and country. After leaving City at the end of his final season, he expressed frustration over limited playing time. Recently, his agent Dimitry Seluk announced on Twitter that Touré had ended his playing career and intended to become a coach. However, the midfielder himself quickly dispelled those claims, tweeting, “There has been a lot of confusion about my future recently. I want to make it clear that I love football and I am still in contention to play for a few more years.”
As Touré undergoes assessment in China, it remains to be seen whether he will extend his career on the pitch, but his trial with Qingdao Huanghai signals that the former international is far from ready to hang up his boots.
