Former Ivory Coast international, Yaya Toure, has joined Ukraine’s Olimpik Donetsk as assistant coach.
The 37-year-old former Barcelona and Manchester City’s midfielder gained his coaching badges after working with English championship sides, Queens Park Rangers and Blackburn Rovers.
Toure, who won three Premier League titles with Man City and the Champions League with Barcelona, played in Ukraine between 2003 and 2005 with the defunct Metalurh Donetsk before he joined Greek side Olympiacos for €2.70m. In 2006, he joined Monaco for a transfer fee worth €5.50m before moving to Barcelona in 2007 for €9m.
Toure playing career ended last year after he left Chinese club Qingdao Huanghai.
Elated to be back in Ukraine, the four-time African footballer of the year wrote on Twitter that it is great to be back in Ukraine to continue his coaching journey. Thank you to Olympic Donetsk for the wonderful welcome.
Olimpik Donetsk, who are seventh in the standings with 17 points from 12 games, face league leaders Dynamo Kyiv on Saturday.
Toure joined Donetsk on the same day as another former Premier League player also ventured into an assistant coaching role, with Tunisia’s Radhi Jaidi joining Belgian side Cercle Brugge until the end of the season.
