West Ham United manager Manuel Pellegrini has stated the club will not make an approach for out of contract midfielder Yaya Toure.
Sky Sports report that the Hammers had been linked with the Ivorian in national reports, but Pellegrini has now quashed those rumours.
Toure’s eight-year affiliation with Manchester City came to an end this summer after Pep Guardiola decided he wasn’t worthy of a new contract at the Etihad.
The 35-year-old was a lynchpin of the City side that rose to the domestic and European elite, making 316 appearances and scoring 79 goals in total.
Toure played a vital role as City won the 2013-14 Premier League under Pellegrini, scoring 20 goals from the centre of midfield.
However, the Chilean expressed that he is happy with his squad:
Yaya is a very good player. In his position at the moment, we have very good players. He will always be a good player in any team but right now our squad is ready.
The Hammers aren’t short of options in midfield, with Mark Noble, Pedro Obiang, Declan Rice, Carlos Sanchez and Jack Wilshere all capable of playing through the middle.
On new-signing Wilshere, who started against Liverpool on Sunday, Pellegrini added:
I see Jack playing as a holding midfielder but with free movement. It’s the best position that he likes to play also.
He can give us very good build up from outside. He is a player who is always doing creative things during the game.
