The Ivory Coast international is being strongly linked with a move to the Nerazzurri but club chief Piero Ausilio insists they have other matters to focus on first

Inter are interested in Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure but are in no rush to push through a deal as they sort a change in ownership, says the Serie A side’s director Piero Ausilio.

Toure, who has just one year left on his current deal at City, is expected to leave the club this summer with speculation claiming incoming boss Pep Guardiola is keen for the Ivorian to move on.

The 33-year-old has been strongly linked with a switch to Inter for several months, which would see him reunite with former City boss Roberto Mancini at the San Siro.

However, Ausilio says plans to sign new players have been shelved until Inter’s ownership situation is sorted, with Chinese investors Suning Commerce Group set to purchase a majority 70 per cent stake from Nerazzurri president Erick Thohir.

“Yaya Toure is a player that we really like,” Ausilio told reporters. “But first we have to sort out [the] ownership change.

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“There are still things to be sorted out between Thohir, [Massimo] Moratti and the Chinese group. That is why we have not pursued Toure yet, but we are interested.

“As a club we are aware of the challenges we face, but we will strive to get better. We are Inter and our goal can’t be to finish fourth.

“There are obviously other teams who have similar ambitions but we are determined to be in the Champions League.”

Toure scored six goals in 32 Premier League matches as City finished fourth this season.