Chelsea and Real Madrid are both attempting to sign Yaya Toure on a shock free transfer, according to the Sun.

Toure has been one of Manchester City’s most important players for the last few seasons, but the livid midfielder has threatened to buy out his contract and leave the club, unless they hand him a new deal by the weekend.

The midfield star still has two years to run on his current contract, and because of his £220,000-a-week deal, would have to pay £22million to buy his way out of the English champions.

Under FIFA rules, players over the age of 28 are permitted to buy out their contracts if they have not been offered a new deal after three years at the club.

This ultimatum has caught the attention of both Real Madrid and Chelsea, with the Blues eyeing up Toure as a perfect replacement for Frank Lampard, who still is yet to be offered a new contract at the London club.

Because Toure would leave on a free transfer, any club that signed him would use the money saved in a signing-on fee, repaying the £22million it cost him to leave City.

Since leaving Barcelona for £25million, Yaya Toure has been one of the players of the Premier League, and played a vital role in guiding City to win the FA Cup in 2011, and then the Premier League last season.

With an international break, City executives will have plenty of time to decide how they will respond to Toure’s ultimatum.

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