However, Ivorian says he is determined to repay the Merseysiders’ faith in him next season.
New Liverpool defender Kolo Toure says he never thought for a moment that the Reds would come in for him this summer, reports the Daily Mail.
The experienced Ivory Coast international has spent the last four seasons at Manchester City, where he was signed by previous Blues head coach Mark Hughes from Arsenal for £16 million in July 2009.
However, after two successful campaigns at Eastlands, the 32-year-old was then banned from football for six months in March 2011 after failing a drugs test, meaning that Toure featured in just 29 Premier League matches during the previous two seasons in the north west.
And when asked whether he had expected a club of Liverpool’s size and stature to come calling for him this summer, Toure was happy enough to say: “Honestly, no. When you get to 32 it is very hard to find a big club like Liverpool.
“I will give 100 per cent for this football club because what they are doing for me now is great.
“Liverpool have given me the chance to show that at 32 I’m still one of the best defenders and I will fight for that.
“When I was with City I had two hard seasons and I wasn’t really part of the manager’s plans. These past two years of being part-time have helped me refresh and be more hungry.
“I knew I had to leave City. I’ve come next door and that’s a great move for me.
“I am used to competition. When I came into Arsenal the competition was Sol Campbell, Martin Keown, Tony Adams. The only way to improve a team is to make players fight for their place.
“I know Jamie Carragher left the club and that’s the reason why I’m here. It adds pressure because it’s always hard to replace a big player like Jamie. I’m looking forward to that because I like challenges.”
The centre back cum full back cum holding midfield player is expected to provide back-up for first-choice central defenders Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger at Anfield next season for Reds head coach Brendan Rodgers.
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