Manchester City's interest in Yaya Toure could be thwarted by Barcelona's planned bid for Cesc Fabregas.

The Catalans are keen to use the Ivory Coast midfielder Toure as a bargaining tool to snare Arsenal captain Fabregas.

City considered Toure in January during their bid to sign a combative midfielder. The Eastlands club failed to land preferred targets - McDonald Mariga, who left Parma for Inter Milan, and Real Madrid's Fernando Gago - and remain keen to strengthen.

Reports in Spain suggest Roberto Mancini's club are prepared to pay £24million for Toure in a bid to reunite him brother Kolo in the summer, but Barca also believe Arsenal's could be keen on the 26-year-old.
The European champions are working on a mega-bid for Fabregas, despite public denials, and would consider offering Toure and Bojan Krkic in a bid to lower a price tag perceived to be approaching £50m.