Reports: Liverpool to release Kolo Toure with Monaco lurking

Lights out for Kolo Toure at Anfield?

Liverpool is set to name Kolo Toure on the list of released players submitted to the Premier League which is due to be published later today. The 35-year old Ivorian joined Liverpool from Manchester City in the summer of 2013 and has made 71 appearances for the Merseyside Club since. With Liverpool set to release the Cote d’Voire inernational, after not offering him a new contract, Monaco could be set to snap him up in the following weeks.

Liverpool have been firmly in favour of keeping Kolo Toure at the club in a different capacity however. They have thought of giving him a coaching role with the club instead, but it is believed Toure has politely passed up the chance in order to prolong his playing career.

Kolo Toure had earlier expressed an interest in continuing at Liverpool as a part of their revival under Jurgen Klopp, having called him an excellent manager who knows what he is doing.

“Of course I want to stay,” he said. “It's a great club to play in, but the manager has his plan and any decision I will respect. He is a top manager and he knows what he is doing."

However, having already agreed terms with Cameroonian center back Joel Matip in January, who will complete his move to Liverpool as a free agent in the next few weeks and the return of Joe Gomez, it seems Liverpool will not require Kolo Toure’s services especially without any European football next season.

To this effect, Kolo Toure’s last game for the club will have been the Champions League Final in Basel, which Liverpool lost to Sevilla. Having been signed on primarily as a back up center back, Kolo ended up making 25 appearances in his final season at the Merseyside Club.

Monaco, will take up this opportunity to make an offer for the Ivroy Coast defender with the Ligue 1 team more than happy to pursue a right blend of experienced and young players. Kolo Toure will most certainly attract interest from a number of other clubs, but the indication is that Toure might find the offer from Monaco the most sensible at this stage in his career.

Liverpool will also name a number of other players on their release list with the likes of Joao Carlos Texeira, Jerome Sinclair, Jordan Rossitter and Jose Enrique also set to leave the club.