Olympiacos Confirm Release of Former Man City Midfielder Yaya Toure After Just 3 Months at Club

Former Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure has left Olympiacos just three months after re-joining the Greek side on a free transfer. The Ivorian, who

Former Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure has left Olympiacos just three months after re-joining the Greek side on a free transfer.

The Ivorian, who previously played for the club during the 2005/06 season, left the Etihad Stadium in the summer after his contract expired with the reigning Premier League champions. 

OLYMPIACOS FC announcement regarding @YayaToure: https://t.co/dWmjjFGE9b#olympiacos pic.twitter.com/ZfLFgCd9Xr

— Olympiacos FC (@olympiacosfc) December 11, 2018

A statement on Olympiacos' official website said: "Olympiacos FC and Yaya Touré would like to announce to the fans that they have mutually agreed to end their cooperation.

"Yaya is leaving as a friend and the doors at Olympiacos will always be open for him. Our paths will surely cross again."

The 35-year-old has barely featured for Olympiacos this season, only making two league appearances and two Europa League appearances. He did however captain the side during a Greek Cup game against APO Levadiakos.

ARIS MESSINIS/GettyImages

It is unclear as to the exact reason behind the mutual termination of Toure's contract, with his long-term future also unclear at this stage.

Olympiacos became Toure's first European club when he signed for the Greek giants for €2.7m in 2005, however his time on this occasion was also only a brief one, as after just 20 appearances, he moved on to French side AS Monaco at the end of the 2005/06 season.

Toure also only spent a year with the principality side, making his big move to FC Barcelona at the end of the 2006/07 campaign for a fee of €9m.

Toure earned a reputation as an imposing defensive midfielder at the Catalan giants, winning La Liga twice and the Champions League, as Barcelona defeated Manchester United 2-0 in Rome, before moving to the Premier League with Manchester City.

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The four-time African Player of the Year made 230 appearances for the Citizens, scoring 59 goals for the club as he moved into a more attacking role during his time in England, picking up three Premier League titles in the process.