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Yaya Toure: I've stayed at Manchester City because of Manuel Pellegrini

Reuters

Manchester City's angular Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure has conceded that he would have left the Etihad last summer were it not for "father figure" Manuel Pellegrini.

Strongly linked with a transfer to Roberto Mancini's Inter Milan during last summer's transfer window, Toure opted to stay at City because of the support he received from the Chilean gaffer when the youngest Toure brother, Ibrahim, died last year.

"I've stayed because of Manuel. He always talks to me, giving me some piece of advice. He has been aware of my life off the pitch," Toure said, as reported by Jacob Murtagh of The Mirror.

"He has been like a father to me in difficult moments. I have never felt like that with another coach."

Related: Pellegrini insists Yaya Toure is happy at Manchester City

Pellegrini, who joined the Citizens in 2013 following his tenure at La Liga outfit Malaga, is known as a compassionate character who garners respect from both players and peers.

"Before this season, all the players had a talk and we promised the boss we would recover our level," Toure said.

"We had to do it for him, for us and for the fans - we have to win important things this season."

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