Toure in Bursaspor talks

Manchester City defender Kolo Toure is in talks with Bursaspor over a move to Turkey.



Toure was a £16million arrival from Arsenal three years ago and remains one of the most popular players at City.



However, he has never recovered his first-team spot after being forced to spend six months on the sidelines following a failed drugs test, which was blamed on the 31-year-old taking one of his wife's slimming products.



Toure did make enough appearances to qualify for a Premier League title winner's medal last term as City ended their 44-year wait for the championship.



However, with skipper Vincent Kompany and England's Joleon Lescott now established as manager Roberto Mancini's first-choice defensive pairing, Toure is open to the prospect of a move.



And Bursaspor, where England keeper Scott Carson plies his trade, have emerged as an option.



"We have been in talks with Kolo Toure over the past two days - it would be one of the most important transfers to be completed by an Anatolian side," Bursaspor manager Ertugrul Saglam told Dogan News Agency.



"Obviously nothing is certain until he signs pen to paper, however we are working hard to try finalise a deal."



Although City would be left with only Stefan Savic as direct cover, and the Montenegrin had plenty of critics last term, Micah Richards is capable of playing in central defence.



And the departure of a high-earning star would help City get closer to meeting UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules at a time when they are still looking to invest in the transfer market, with Robin van Persie a likely target.