LONDON: Paris Saint-Germain are initial favourites to sign Yaya Toure next season as the Ivory Coast midfielder apparently nears the end of his trophy-winning stay with Manchester City.

Toure has also been linked with Internazionale, managed by his former City boss Roberto Mancini .

The 31-year-old was quoted on Tuesday as saying he is open to “new challenges” and that he will not stay at a club simply to collect wages.

Those comments came two days after his agent Dimitri Seluk was quoted as saying “two of the biggest clubs” had asked him about Toure’s availability, adding: “If City want Yaya to leave, they should come out and say so.”

Seluk, according to Sky Sports News, added: “We have had different offers for Yaya but we must speak to Manchester City.

“People think he will stay because of money but we don’t care about money. If Man City don’t want him – no problem.

“I want someone to say that they want Yaya to stay at Manchester City. Yaya is a legend at the club. All the supporters like him, he’s helped them make history.”

Pellegrini also admitted he had been disappointed by the 31-year-old’s form this term, but backed Toure, who has two years left on his current contract and captained the side in Sunday’s 2-0 win over West Ham, to come good again.

In the quotes on Tuesday, Toure said: “I owe it to the City fans to fight until the end of my career at this club.

“My decisions will not be affected by changes in management, but more by the challenges that will be offered to me.”

There have been questions over Pellegrini’s future, and Seluk was quoted on Sunday calling the Chilean a “weak manager”, as well as criticising City’s chief executive Ferran Soriano and director of football Txiki Begiristain.

When asked immediately after the West Ham win about that interview, Pellegrini said he did not want to comment.

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