Toure rules out Barcelona exit

The defensive midfielder had been repeatedly linked with moves to Emirates Stadium, Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford, with Manchester City defender Kolo Toure also strongly urging his brother to join him at Eastlands.

Toure was believed to have been unhappy with his treatment during contract negotiations with the Catalan club and let it be known through his agent that he was open to a move to England.

However, the Ivorian now seems content to remain at Barcelona after insisting that he isn’t going anywhere.

"I have heard about interest from Manchester City and Arsenal but my future is at Barcelona," he said in the Mirror.

"I have spoken to the directors at the club, I don’t want to leave and my only mission and is to stay and be a success at the club."

The Catalans are aiming to regain the top spot in La Liga they recently vacated to Real Madrid, and will now face one of Toure’s former suitors Arsenal in the quarter finals of the Champions League.

Toure had previously revealed that he came close to joining Kolo at Arsenal in 2005 - and still cannot understand why the Gunners opted out of a deal.

"I was disappointed and never understood why [Arsene] Wenger did not want to close the deal," he told Marca.

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