Manchester City great Yaya Toure has split with long time agent Dimitri Seluk.

The Mirror says the pair had a difference of opinion on the direction of the midfielder's career after Toure joined Chinese second division club Qingdao Huanghai in May.

Seluk's only comment on the rift was “that's life" - but he used to be so close to the 36-year-old that Toure named his son after him and used to call him Papushka, which means 'daddy' in Russian.

The Monaco-based agent has represented Toure since befriending him when the player was about to move Ukrainian club Metalurh Donetsk from Beveren in 2003.

He brokered moves to Olympiakos , Monaco and Barcelona before taking Toure to the Etihad in 2010 on a contract that earned him £250,000-a-week.