Wednesday 13 May 2015 07:00, UK
Wilfried Bony has urged Yaya Toure to stay at Manchester City after the midfielder's agent cast doubt on the Ivorian's future at the Etihad Stadium.
Dimitri Seluk claimed recently Toure was "90 per cent" certain to leave the club this summer having stayed last year after initially agitating for a move away because the club had apparently failed to mark his 31st birthday.
Toure, who turns 32 on Wednesday, played a big part in persuading Bony to leave Swansea in January and Bony hopes to perform a similar task in keeping his friend at the club.
"I talk to him about it all the time. He knows what I think. He brought me here so he needs to stay," the City striker said.
"He told me about this being a big club, how we were the champions.
"He told me it was a club that always fights - and I am always a fighter so I liked that. He told me about the pressure, everything.
"For sure everyone wants to keep him here. He's a legend for this club for sure, he always will be.
"We hope he stays, he's a big player here and we know everything he is doing for the club."
Toure has scored eight league goals so far this season - less than half the tally he amassed last year - but Bony thinks it is important not to be too hard on his team-mate.
"It's been difficult for him, but you have to remember it's been three years where there's been big tournaments, World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations," he said
"You need to play a lot of matches, you are playing in high temperatures, it's not easy. Injuries can also occur in that time, the pressure and expectations are high.
"There are some things in football you can't control, like when the tournaments come round, when you get injured. You just have to try to deal with them and help the team."
