It looks like the long-running feud between Yaya Toure and Pep Guardiola is finally coming to an end, as the player formally apologised on Friday.
Toure's agent, Dmitri Selyuk, has been highly critical of the Barcelona manager, which lead Guardiola to state that he would not consider putting him back in the team unless there was an apology from the player or his representative.
Selyuk repeatedly criticsed the decision to exclude Toure, and even threatened legal action against the manager, saying: "He thinks he can act like this because Yaya is in the last year of his contract and FIFA’s regulations say we can only appeal about this decision at the end of the season. But the fact is that Yaya is being punished for things he hasn’t said.
"As his agent and friend, it is my job to speak if I feel Yaya is not being treated fairly. But Yaya himself has acted professionally and has not said anything about Guardiola and his situation in Manchester."
Taking to Facebook on Friday morning, and formally apologised in a statement on the social media network.
"I wish to apologise - on behalf of myself and those who represent me - to the management team and all those working at the club for the misunderstandings from the past," said Toure.
"Those statements do not represent my views on the club or the people who work there," added the player. "I have nothing but respect for Manchester City and only wish the best for the football club.
"I am immensely proud to have played a part in the club's history and want to help City succeed further. I live to play football and entertain the fans.
"On that note, I would like to thank all of the fans for their messages through this difficult period. This means a great deal to me and my family."
Reports recently suggested that the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager was interested in bringing Toure back into the fold as an option in midfield as they were struggling through a particularly poor run of results.
It remains to be seen if that is still on the table after a big win in the Champions League against Barcelona during the week, or indeed, if Toure will fit with the style of play that Guardiola has drilled into his Manchester City side.
Download the brand new OffTheBall App in the Play Store & App Store right now! We've got you covered!
Subscribe to OffTheBall's YouTube channel for more videos, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest sporting news and content.
