Manchester City round-up: Yaya Toure contract update; Nolito set for exit; Guardiola reflects on debut season

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According to reports in The Sun over the past day, Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure is set to be offered a new deal at the Etihad – but he won’t know the conditions until City secure the top-four.

Reports claim that the 34-year-old is about to be offered a late deal to extend his stay in Manchester for another season, but until Champions League football is secured he won’t be aware of the details.

This suggests that his future still lies at Manchester City, after managing to reconcile with manager Pep Guardiola after a dispute that saw him left out of City’s Premier League side until November.

One player seemingly destined for an exit at the Etihad Stadium is out-of-favour midfielder Nolito, with BBC Sport reporting that the Spanish striker is being hunted by La Liga outfit Real Betis.

The 30-year-old has only made 19 Premier League appearances since signing from Celta Vigo at the start of the season – only given a single start in 2017 – and it’s believed he wants a move away.

Guardiola brought him in as one of his first signings last summer, but despite signing a four-year contract he’s struggled to get regular first-team football up against Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling.

The only potential reason a move to Betis may not happen is due to his financial demands of around £100,000-a-week, which could prove to be too steep for the lowly Spanish side.

Aside from transfer news, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has claimed that he would have faced the sack if he had endured a trophy-less season at previous side Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

After losing to Arsenal in the FA Cup semi-finals, Monaco in the Champions League last-16 and Manchester United in the League Cup, Guardiola will end a season trophy-less for the first time ever.

Speaking to BBC Sport, the Spaniard said:

“In my situation at a big club, I’m sacked. I’m out.

“If it is Barcelona and Bayern, you don’t win and you are out. Here I have a second chance and I will try to do it better next season.”

City will travel to Vicarage Road on the last day needing just a point against Watford to secure Champions League football for next season after victory over West Brom on Tuesday night.

Featured Image: All rights reserved by Craig Ballantyne.