Yaya Toure rejected huge China offers — reports

Manchester City’s Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure takes part in a team training session at Manchester City Football Academy Campus in Manchester, north west England, on October 18, 2016 ahead of their UEFA Champions League Group C football match against Barcelona at the Camp Nou on October 19. / AFP PHOTO / Anthony Devlin

Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure has rejected offers from Chinese Super League clubs that would have paid the Ivorian around £430,000 a week ($533,000), reports said on Tuesday.

Toure is out of contract at the end of the season and has been approached by clubs from China who have been splashing on a host of star signings in recent months.

The 33-year-old is said to have been the subject of interest from China last year.

He snubbed those offers and gave the same response when he was contacted again once the winter transfer window opened this month because he would prefer to continue playing in England, the BBC and other British media said.

It remains unclear whether City, who signed Toure from Barcelona in 2010, will offer him a new deal.

Toure has regained his place in the heart of City’s midfield over the past two months after a row between the club and his agent threatened to end his time at the club.

Toure was frozen out by manager Pep Guardiola after his outspoken representative Dimitri Seluk claimed the midfielder had been humiliated by his omission from City’s Champions League squad.

That situation was resolved with an apology from Toure in November.