• Premier League

Mancini coy on new Kolo deal

ESPN staff
March 8, 2013
Kolo Toure joined Manchester City from Arsenal in 2009 © Getty Images
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Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has refused to confirm whether defender Kolo Toure will be offered a contract extension this summer.

Toure, 32, has been at Eastlands for four years but his current deal expires this summer and it had appeared he would be allowed to leave the club on a free transfer after the emergence of Matija Nastasic this season.

However, the Ivory Coast international has forced his way back into the starting XI in recent weeks and been a stabilising presence in the absence of captain Vincent Kompany.

Despite Toure's recent renaissance, though, Mancini is unwilling to publicly state whether he has played himself into a new deal at City.

Asked if Toure would be on his way in the summer, the Italian joked: "I am also leaving in the summer - on holiday." On a more serious note, he added: "We don't know at this moment. What is important is that he continues to play the way he did on Monday night and against Chelsea.

"Kolo is a really professional player and deserves to have the satisfaction of those performances. He has done really well and we will see. I am happy for him because he is a good guy."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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