Yaya Toure has warned Manchester City it's folly to copy Barcelona.

With the arrival of key executives Ferran Soriano and Txiki Begiristain from the Nou Camp, the long-term plan has been for City to copy the Spanish giants in their youth set-up and brand of football.

"I don't think it is realistic to play like Barcelona because the Premier League is different to football in Spain," former Barca midfielder Toure told the Mail on Sunday.

"Spain has more quality, it is more technical. In England, you need everything: power, strength, tackling, running.

"The tempo level is very high, higher than in Spain. You don't have the same time to control the ball and look to see where your team-mate is.

"You have to be quick otherwise someone like Kyle Walker [of Tottenham] will take you in the back! In England, the tempo is fantastic. You have to fight for every ball and be the first into every action, different from Spain and Italy."