Arsenal defender Kolo Toure looks set to join Manchester City after the clubs agreed on a 14-million pound transfer fee, a person close to the transfer talks said Tuesday.
The Ivory Coast international will head to Manchester to negotiate personal terms and to undergo a medical examination, the person told The Associated Press. He was speaking on condition of anonymity because neither club was disclosing details of the move.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger confirmed on Monday night that Toure could leave the club after he featured in a preseason friendly in Hungary.
City wants Toure to bolster its central defence after failing to sign either John Terry from Chelsea or Joleon Lescott from Everton despite the club being able to offer large transfer fees and salaries.
Using owner Sheikh Mansour's wealth, City manager Mark Hughes is assembling a formidable group of players he hopes can challenge for the Premier League title, which the club hasn't won since 1968.
The 28-year-old Toure would be reunited at City with Emmanuel Adebayor, the Togo striker who left Arsenal earlier this month and is now part of a strike force including Robinho, Carlos Tevez and Roque Santa Cruz. England midfielder Gareth Barry was also bought from Aston Villa.
The departure of Toure after seven years at Arsenal would mark the end of an era for the club, as he was the last surviving member of the "Invincibles," who went unbeaten for 49 straight Premier League matches in 2003-04.
The Gunners haven't won the title since then, raising doubts about Wenger's ability to return them to winning ways.
Toure nearly left Arsenal in January after a reported spat with fellow center back William Gallas, but he withdrew a transfer request and finished out the season.
Wenger has made just one signing in the offseason: central defender Thomas Vermaelen from Ajax.
"I am more focused on getting everybody fit for the start of the season but we are looking at opportunities as well," he said. "There are still some preseason games to see what we really need. When the time comes we will do something."
Wenger will have about 40 million pounds to spend from the Adebayor and Toure sales, but he signaled earlier this month he is no rush to spend it.
The Frenchman is facing pressure to add experience to his squad after the Gunners finished in fourth place last season and spent several weeks in fifth, in jeopardy of losing out on a Champions League spot.
Arsenal hasn't won a trophy since the FA Cup in 2005.
