Kolo Toure Joins Manchester City’s First-Team Coaching Staff on Permanent Basis

Manchester City have announced that Kolo Toure will remain as a key member of Pep Guardiola’s first-team coaching staff after the Ivorian signed a permanent contract ahead of the 2025/26 season.

WHAT HAPPENED?

A former City captain and Premier League winner with the club, it was confirmed on Monday that Kolo Toure has been appointed as first-team assistant coach. He steps up from the Under-18s to assist Pep Guardiola, Pep Lijnders and fellow new arrival James French after helping to shape preparations during a summer of change within Guardiola’s coaching staff.

Following a spell with the senior squad during the FIFA Club World Cup, Toure now makes the move permanent and takes up the position recently vacated by Juanma Lillo, who left the club in July to join Sevilla – with assistants Inigo Dominguez and Carlos Vicens also moving on to new opportunities.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Toure spent four years at the Etihad Stadium during his playing career, captaining the side and winning the Premier League in 2011/12 under Roberto Mancini. A highly-regarded figure within the game, his appointment comes at a time when City are looking to give homegrown talent greater opportunities, as well as bringing through talented young coaches. During the summer, the reigning Premier League champions also elected to promote former Under-21s boss Darren Ward to the first team, with Toure now following a similar path.

WHAT PEP GUARDIOLA SAID

Speaking about the opportunity that has been handed to him, Toure said: “I’m very happy. Coming back and working with Pep Guardiola, the fantastic manager and players we have, is a good feeling. I love the club, I love everyone here – the way everybody works, the way everybody treats people. Every time I’m on the pitch, every time I’m in the building, it’s just the best feeling in the world. Everybody here wants to be the best and it’s fantastic to be part of that. It’s like a family club – even though it has grown a lot, people here have time for others. It’s a very good environment for anybody to come and perform at their best.”

WHAT’S NEXT?

City are back in competitive action in August for their Premier League opener against Wolves, as they try to bounce back from last season’s lack of trophies and back on winning terms.