Afternoon:
10°c
Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure today told Manchester City their attempts to sign his brother Kolo from Arsenal will fail because they are not a big enough club.
City are expected to rekindle their interest in the 28-year-old Gunner if their pursuit of Chelsea captain John Terry and Everton's Joloen Lescott are both unsuccessful.
Kolo is thought to have handed in a transfer request in January only to be talked into staying by manager Arsene Wenger and Yaya, who is set to play for Barca against Tottenham in the Wembley Cup tonight, believes any dispute has now been resolved.
"The most important thing for my brother is that he can play with a big team. Arsenal play great football and City are not there yet," Toure told Standard Sport.
"They have a lot of money and are ready to buy everyone but it is difficult for them because the kind of players they want are already at big clubs and some people don't want to take a step down.
"I think he is happy there because I have spoken to him and he says he likes the way Arsenal play football and he gets on with everyone there.
"He may have had one or two problems there but I think he will stay."
Yaya insists he does not need to consult his brother - who is two years older - on tonight's opposition as he follows the Premier League closely.
It is, however, the first time the Catalan giants have visited the new Wembley and Yaya will fulfill a lifelong ambition should he play.
"A lot of people say it is an historic stadium and for me I am very happy to play there because so many great names have played there," he said.
"When I was young, every day I would see big teams at Wembley - Barcelona, Manchester United and Chelsea. Now I have grown up, my dream has come true and I can play for a big European club at Wembley and it is an honour to play at there.
"I know Tottenham because every week I see the English league on TV. I know Aaron Lennon, Robbie Keane, Jermain Defoe and Jermaine Jenas.
"They have some great players with a good history and I am looking forward to playing them at such a great venue."
Barca conquered all before them last season as they claimed a treble that comprised victories in the Champions League, La Liga and the Copa del Rey.
A largely one-sided defeat of Manchester United in May secured their third European crown and confirmed Pep Guardiola's side as the best team on the planet.
Although Barca are closing in on Inter Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, arch-rivals Real Madrid have spent more than £180million in playing catch up but Yaya claims his team-mates are not fazed by the big-name arrivals.
"It will be very difficult for us to repeat what we achieved last year," he admitted. "All the teams expect Barcelona to make history now but when you see Real Madrid signing players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Karim Benzema, we know it is going to be tough.
"But the money people are spending doesn't surprise me. I know Madrid. They are a big team and when a new president comes in like Florentino Perez, he wants to create a new side and will bring huge money to achieve their ambitions.
"But we have great players like Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta to match anything Madrid have so I am confident we can continue to win trophies."
The Ivory Coast international became an integral part of the Barca team in the second half of the season after speculation linking him with a move to England.
He signed a contract extension last month to tie him to the Nou Camp until 2012 but revealed he has not ruled out the possibility of one day playing in the Premier League, perhaps even alongside his brother.
"A move one day to England could happen and I would like to play with my brother but I am very happy at Barcelona," said Yaya, whose side will play Spurs after Celtic and Egyptian champions Al-Ahly open the pre-season tournament.
"This is a great club who are winning trophies and I want to stay here. Today I play for Barcelona but tomorrow who knows?
"England has a great league and my brother is here but for now I am at the right club for me."
* Yaya Toure was talking ahead of The Wembley Cup - the new pre-season football tournament featuring FC Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur, Celtic FC and Egyptian Champions Al Ahly. Tickets available at www.thewembleycup.com or from the Wembley Stadium Box Office
