A day after adding all-world striker Thierry Henry to the squad, FC Barcelona has added some much needed strength to the midfield by signing Monaco’s Yaya Toure, younger brother of Arsenal's Kolo Toure. Yaya, a member of the Ivory Coast team that participated in the 2006 World Cup in Germany, signed a four-year contract with the Catalan club worth €8.7 million ($12 million), with a possible future payment of €3.9 million ($5.4 million), contingent on results.
Txiki Begiristain, sports director at FC Barcelona, said of Toure, “He is a strong player with a great physical presence and an ability to distribute the ball well. He’s a ball winner and is good in the air.” Begiristain went on to add that he is “similar in style to [Inter Milan midfielder and World Cup champion with France] Patrick Vieira”, a player that Toure has great admiration for and views as a role model.
The addition of Toure is a significant step toward improving the versatility and all-around quality of the Barcelona midfield. For Barça, bolstering its talented but, at times, soft midfield was an even more pressing need that adding another prolific goal scorer. While the addition of Henry will likely grab the lion’s share of headlines, the contribution of Yaya Toure could prove to be equally significant in Barcelona’s return to the Spanish throne.
It should be noted Barcelona does not appear to be finished in the transfer market. It has been reported that the club is also looking for defensive help, is pursuing Romanian defender Christian Chivu, currently in Italy’s Serie A with AS Roma. The fee for his transfer will likely exceed €14.5 million ($20 million)
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