Botafogo eye move for Chinese club Qingdao Huanghai midfielder Toure

RIO DE JANEIRO - Botafogo are considering a bid to sign Qingdao Huanghai midfielder Yaya Toure, the Brazilian club's president said on Monday.

The Rio de Janeiro outfit is in talks with potential sponsors to raise funds to trigger Toure's buyout clause with the Chinese Super League club and cover his salary demands.

"We are looking at it, but there's a lot of engineering that needs to be done," Botafogo president Nelson Mufarrej said.

"It's not something that can be rushed. We have the whole week ... to look for the money and see if we're able to really have him. What we can't do is pass the agreed limit for player expenses."

Having arrived in China as a free agent last July, Toure made 14 league appearances for Qingdao Huanghai in 2019 and helped the club earn promotion to the top division.

He would be Botafogo's second major signing in less than two weeks after the Rio club secured Japan's former Milan midfielder Keisuke Honda on an 11-month deal.