Kolo Toure joins Celtic on one-year contract

Celtic has signed defender Kolo Toure on a one-year contract, the Scottish champion said on Sunday, reuniting him with Brendan Rodgers, his former manager at Liverpool.

Kolo Toure after signing for Celtic.

Celtic has signed defender Kolo Toure on a one-year contract, the Scottish champions said on Sunday, reuniting him with Brendan Rodgers, his former manager at Liverpool.

The experienced Toure, older brother of Manchester City's Yaya, won 118 caps for the Ivory Coast and played more than 350 league games for Arsenal, City and Liverpool, who released him at the end of last season.

He won the Premier League with both Arsenal and City and the FA Cup three times.

“I'm really excited and looking forward to a new challenge," he told Sky Sports.

Rodgers told Celtic's website (www.celticfc.net) that Toure's experience would be invaluable for the club, who play away to Astana of Kazakhstan in the Champions League third qualifying round on Wednesday.

“I brought Kolo into Liverpool to add that bit of experience and help to the centre-halves there at the time,” the manager said.

“You saw from his impact there and in particular last season, he was a very important player for Juergen Klopp towards the end of last season, playing in the Europa League final.

“With a lot of young players in our squad, he can really help them. Kolo can do very well for us.”