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26.06.2007 14:51
Touré pens four-year deal
www.fcbarcelona.cat
Ivory Coast midfielder Touré Yaya has signed for FC Barcelona for the next seasons from AS Monaco and have a buy-out clause of €90m in his contract at Camp Nou.
The 24-year-old is now a new Barça player after passing a medical before travelling to the clubs offices where he put pen to paper on a deal that ties him to the Blaugrana until 2011. Joan Laporta and his agent were present as he signed the contract after completing all the formalities.
New nationality
Touré is the first player from the Ivory Coast to play for FC Barcelona. He was signed
after negotiations between the Catalan club were concluded with AS Monaco, where he played last
season, and his previous side, Metalurg Donetsk, both of whom share his rights.
The price is right
President Joan Laporta said that the price paid to Monaco for the player was around €9m, while Metalurg will receive monies related to how Touré performs at Barça.
Laporta added that the "thrill and desire" of the Sokoura Bouake-born star was one of the key reasons that the deal was concluded so quickly.
A new name
During the press conference, the new Barça player raised his new shirt to show that he will be
wearing the number 17 next term. On the back the name was printed as Touré Yaya and, as he
explained, he wanted to his name to be known that way round and not the familiar way with Touré
second. The decision was taken after he spoke to his wife about what to put on the shirt.
