Yaya Toure’s agent has stoked the rumour mill regarding his client. Dmitri Seluk reckons Barca don’t ‘respect’ his client and has suggested the powerful midfielder might be playing his football elsewhere next season.

This is what Seluk has had to say: “Barca have not complied with the gentleman’s agreement that we reached.

“(Barca president) Laporta says that Valdes is the best goalkeeper in the world, the same about (Lionel) Messi, with Xavi, with (Andres) Iniesta… but with Toure, never anything,

“If he is not good enough to play in this team then that will be that.

“He has spent two seasons earning a minimum salary. He earns less than many of the first-team regulars and less even than some of those that hardly play at all.

“We have put our faith in the word of the club, but they have not respected it.

“Clearly he is a professional and if the club do not respect him then he would to go and that would be a shame because he feels at home at the club and in the city. He has adapted marvellously.

“Toure has done everything for Barca and always thinks about the team. He has never cause any problems and remember that last season he played a number of games while injured.

“This term, after Rafa Marquez picked up an injury, he played as a centre back and did so without complaining, while (Seydou) Keita, for instance, said he did not want to play at left-back in the UEFA Champions League final.

“Therefore, I think Toure deserves more recognition on the part of Barca.”

He might well be right, Real Madrid played out a similar scenario a few years ago with Claude Makelele and Toure is certainly an important cog in the Barca machine.  He is the man who is best equipped to win the ball in midfield and play the ball to one of his more skilful team-mates.

I do rate Toure highly but I doubt Pep Guardiola would allow him to go without a suitable replacement lined up.  Reports have linked Liverpool’s Javier Mascherano with a move to the Catalans and he plays in the same role as Toure so perhaps if he does arrive Toure will be allowed to leave.

It could all be agent talk of course, with Seluk just trying to get a better deal for Toure.  Though Toure has been tipped to join Arsenal in the past but according to his agent their offer is not enough, but he has hinted he could move to Italy or England.

Personally I see no need for Barca to sell Toure, but then again Guardiola has my utmost respect after his impressive trophy haul this season.  He is a quality holding midfielder and also a pretty decent centre-half when called upon.  One thing is for sure though, if Barca do allow him to depart Camp Nou they’ll need someone to fill his shoes because he has had an excellent season with the Spanish champions.

Written by Gareth Freeman, a sports writer who writes about online football betting for Betfair.