Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure could leave the Sky Blues once Pep Guardiola takes over as the club's new manager at the end of the season, and one possible destination for the Ivorian international is the suddenly star-studded Chinese Super League.
Man City's announcement of hiring Guardiola as replacement for the club's current manager Manuel Pellegrini immediately sparked speculations about the Toure's status at Etihad Stadium.
But according to Matt law of the Telegraph, Toure will not be short of options if in case an exit from the English club is inevitable. The report revealed that the central midfielder has already drawn interests from three Chinese clubs, including Jiangsu Suning, who are willing to pay the Ivorian international "£30m-a-year after tax."
"That would see Toure earn £576,923-a-week in China, which is more than double his current £240,000-a-week salary at City," Law wrote.
"City could expect to recoup a good fee for Toure from a club in China, despite the fact the Ivorian will only have a year remaining on his contract at the end of the season."
If Toure opts to accept the offer from Jiangsu, he will be teammates with former Chelsea midfielder Ramires, who was signed last month to a £21 million transfer fee, and will be football's third highest paid player behind Barcelona's Lionel Messi, who earns £47.8 million a year, Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo's £39.7 million a year.
Toure left Barcelona FC for City when Guardiola was still in charge at Camp Nou almost six years ago. With Guardiola already tipped to overhaul Man City's roster in summer, including signing another central midfielder, it will be deja vu for the four-time African Footballer of the Year.
Toure's agent Dimitry Seluk confirmed that the 32-year-old could leave City once Guardiola, the current manager of Bundesliga club Bayern Munich, assumes his role with the Sky Blues.
"I think Yaya will leave the club," said Seluk, reports ESPN FC Asia. "But before leaving I hope he will win again the League and all the cups."