Ivory Coast legend Yaya Toure has opened up about the role he played in his countryman Franck Kessie's recent move to FC Barcelona.
On Monday, Barca announced their signing of Kessie on a four-year deal, after the Elephants midfielder had run down his deal at AC Milan following five seasons with the Rossoneri.
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Toure, who spent three years at the Camp Nou between 2007 and 2010, has since revealed that he helped convince the 25-year-old to join his former club and told the player what he could expect upon his arrival in Catalonia.
"It's true that I called him during the negotiations with Barca... How do you know? (laughs). We have been in contact and he called me several times because he knew that I knew Barcelona," the former Manchester City star told Mundo Deportivo.
"To be honest, we talked for days because he wanted to know everything that would be found here.
"Milan offered him a new contract and it is a great club too, but Barcelona was ahead.
I told him not to hesitate, that if he wanted to leave, he had to go to Barcelona.
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"I explained a lot of things to him in detail and that he had to play well from the beginning, have a good attitude and be as focused as possible.
"Barcelona is a big city and I told him not to go out much at night, to be careful (laughs).
"You have to be focused on the games because they will judge you in all of them.”
Kessie will officially be unveiled by his new club on Wednesday, when he is set to hold his first press conference as a Barcelona player.
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