Revealed: How Toure’s Indecision Paved Way For Botafago Interest In Mikel

Yaya Toure has blown his chance of a Samba swansong – after his wife told him she didn’t want to live in Rio.

The former Manchester City midfielder was set to sign for Brazilian club Botafogo before performing a dramatic double U-turn that ended with the South Americans pulling the plug on the deal.

Toure, 36, who has been looking for a club since leaving Chinese club Quingdao Huanghai in December, agreed to sign for Botafogo after talks with director Ricardo Rostenberg.

He then informed Rostenberg over the weekend that he was pulling out of the agreement because his wife Gineba didn’t fancy the Brazilian lifestyle – only to have another change of heart 24 hours later.

But after contacting Botafogo again, Toure was told the deal was off the table and that the club were in the process of signing former Chelsea midfielder, John Mikel Obi.

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Toure’s wife has followed him from the Ivory Coast to Belgium, Ukraine, Athens, Monaco, Barcelona , Manchester and the shores of the Yellow Sea.

But she didn’t fancy life by the Copacabana.

Botafogo are now in talks with Mikel about filling the role that was earmarked for Toure.

The 32-year-old is a free agent after having his contract with Turkish club Trabzonspor cancelled after he refused to play before the coronavirus pandemic prompted a worldwide lockdown.