Kompany mentioned: "As I was still at City I was coming to a point where I was thinking about my future; management, carry on, sign a new deal there. I was watching football from different countries and I saw Sambi play his first two games for Anderlecht, then he got a big knee injury.

"But the very first thing I did after I noticed Sambi was I went to Mikel, and likewise Pep [Guardiola], however Mikel first and I mentioned, ‘You’ve received to look at this man, he’s the brand new Yaya Toure’. And anyway, nothing comes from it, he’s received a cruciate ligament [injury] after which I find yourself falling into the administration job at Anderlecht so I’m working with him now.

"I had the same conversation about him with Mikel, I still believe the same thing now [that he could be the new Toure]. I’m not even sure I’m going to do him a favour now if I say this kind of stuff."

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