Arsene Wenger says Arsenal can cope with loss of Kolo Toure to Manchester City
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...h-loss-of-Kolo-Toure--to-Manchester-City.html
Kolo Toure is due at Manchester City on Wednesday to complete a medical on his £14million move from Arsenal, with Arsene Wenger adamant that he has plenty of defensive options to cope without one of his most experienced players.
The sale of Toure, who will receive wages of about £120,000 a week, would follow the departure of Emmanuel Adebayor and will mean Arsenal have banked some £39million from Manchester City over the past two weeks.
At least £30million is understood to be available to Wenger, the Arsenal manager, although there is concern from Alisher Usmanov, the club’s second largest shareholder, at the wisdom of selling to one of their biggest rivals.
Wenger himself has admitted that City will challenge the established 'Big Four’ next season but will look to reinvest in other players.
The chances of signing Real Madrid forward Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who is available for £16million, have increased now that Tottenham have bought Peter Crouch and Stuttgart could not reach agreement with the Dutch forward over his wages.
Fulham defender Brede Hangeland would also provide the imposing presence at centre-back that Arsenal lacked at important moments last season, although manager Roy Hodgson would be extremely reluctant to sell.
Wenger is prepared to let Philippe Senderos leave following his loan spell last season at AC Milan but will consider using Alex Song as a centre-back. Other options include William Gallas, Johan Djourou, Thomas Vermaelen and Mikael Silvestre.
The departure of Toure, 28, whom Wenger signed for just £150,000, represents the end of an era as he is the only member of the present squad to have been a regular in the 'Invincible’ team of 2003-04.
Toure, though, handed in a transfer request in January and, despite playing regularly in the second half of last season, his relationship with Gallas was particularly strained.
“We have seven centre-backs and I am in the position where I have to play some in midfield, but of course Kolo is a very good player,” Wenger said.
“I am more focused on getting everybody fit for the start of the season but we are looking at opportunities as well. When the time comes we will do something.”
The addition of Toure will take City manager Mark Hughes’s spending this summer to almost £100million and his total outlay over the past year to about £200million.
It also represents some consolation for the failure to sign John Terry from Chelsea. Hughes still wants to add a centre-back and, despite having had one offer of £15million rejected, remains hopeful that a deal can be done for Everton’s Joleon Lescott.
