Yves Bissouma reveals ambition to emulate Man City legend

Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma has told Yaya Toure that he was his idol growing up during a sit-down chat with the former Manchester City and Barcelona man.

Bissouma arrived in the Premier League from French football in 2018 with a ‘next Paul Pogba’ tag but he quickly established his name in his own right with some dynamic displays for Brighton.

He moved to Tottenham for £30m over the summer and now gets the chance to learn from his main ‘inspiration’ Toure, who has recently joined Antonio Conte’s coaching staff.

“I can't believe I am with you, to be honest,” Bissouma told Toure in a video for the official Spurs website. “Everyone knows - my family, my friends - that I am a big fan of you.

“When I was young I was watching you every day. I remember when I was in the academy in Mali, my inspiration was you.

“When they ask me which player do you like, which player do you think was the best in [my] position, I say you because, as a midfielder as well, I want to be like you one day. I know it's not easy, but you can give me some secrets!”

Toure, meanwhile, was also more than happy to reveal the names of the players he looked up to when he was developing his game as well. The fact that he is now employed by Tottenham didn’t stop him from having some high praise for an Arsenal legend, either.

“Someone that I was compared to with my size and the way I play: Patrick Vieira,” the two-time Premier League champion said. “We had a similar way of playing. When I was on trial at Arsenal, I was amazed by him. He was a big inspiration for me.

"I was [also] a big fan of Socrates. He was a top, top player.”