Yaya Touré, the assistant coach at Standard de Liège, is leaving the Belgian club to work alongside Roberto Mancini with the Saudi Arabian national team, according to a statement released by Standard on Friday.
Joining Standard in June as an assistant to Hoefkens, the 40-year-old former Ivorian international player Touré has an impressive career, once playing for both Barcelona and Manchester City. Now, his journey takes him from his riverside place to a fresh role working with the new Saudi Arabian coach, Mancini.
Touré, who once played for the small Belgian club of Beveren between 2001 and 2004, will join forces again with Mancini. The pair had previously partnered at Manchester City between 2010 and 2013.
Standard expressed their gratitude and well-wishes: "Standard de Liège thanks Yaya for his contribution in the past few months and wishes him the best for his future professional career."
Yaya Touré has had an illustrious international career, starting at Beveren in Belgium, and then moving on to bigger outfits such as AS Monaco, FC Barcelona, and Manchester City. He boasts an extensive record of 626 matches and 103 goals throughout his club career, clinching major trophies including the Champions League, La Liga, Premier League, and the Club World Cup.
