Manchester City hero Yaya Toure can still compete at Premier League level, says Pep Guardiola

Wednesday night's meeting with Brighton will see Touré given a 'beautiful farewell'

Pep Guardiola believes Yaya Touré is still capable of playing at the highest level as the midfielder prepares to make his final appearance at the Etihad.

Touré will leave Manchester City when his contract expires at the end of the season and Wednesday’s night meeting with Brighton and Hove Albion will see the Ivorian given what Guardiola last week called a “beautiful farewell”.

The City manager believes that Touré, who turns 35-years-old on Sunday, will be a success if he decides to stay on in Premier League football but he stopped short of offering his departing player any career advice.

“I am not the right guy to say to him what is the best. He will choose,” Guardiola said.

“I think he has still the desire to play. He loves to play football. He likes the game and he enjoys the training sessions, especially with the ball.

“My advice, if he still has desire to play, he has to continue. If you have doubt, you have to retire, it is over.”

Touré has won three Premier League titles, one FA Cup and two League Cups during his time in Manchester, making 315 appearances and scoring 79 goals in the process.

Despite that excellent record, the former Barcelona midfielder has made just 16 appearances this season and has nto been granted a single league start by Guardiola.

“I am not going to judge Yaya for what happened this season,” the City manager said. “Maybe I was wrong this season. We have to analyse a career, not just in Manchester, in Barcelona and Monaco.

“He is a player with a huge personality, he doesn’t feel the pressure, it doesn’t matter where he plays. He loves to play football. Every day in the training sessions I saw nothing changed my opinions.

“He was the only guy last season we extend the contract. His behaviour was good. Hopefully he can stay in football and come back maybe here.”