AC Milan have made an offer to Manchester City for defender Eliaquim Mangala, who is expected to leave the club this summer after being left out of Pep Guardiola’s plans for the new era at the Etihad. However, they could face competition accoridng to France Football, who are reporting that Porto want to take the Frenchman on loan.
Mangala became a big-money signing for City in the summer of 2014, but has never lived up to the potential he came with or his £32 million price-tag suggested. He showed flashes, such as in the games against Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, but has been inconsistent. City signed another expensive defender, Nicolas Otamendi, last summer, as well as Everton’s John Stones last week.
25-year-old Mangala was left out of City’s first Premier League match against Sunderland, and hasn’t even got a place in the squad for the vital Champions League tie against Steaua Bucuresti, suggesting Guardiola does not have him in his plans.
Gazzetta dello Sport are reporting that AC Milan are keen to take advantage of the situation, offering to take Mangala on a one-year deal with an obligation to buy him for €20 million (£17.3 million) next summer. Meanwhile, Porto are eager to take him back to Portugal on a year-long loan deal, although City may be reluctant to sanction a move which sees him return to the club a year from now.
Valencia are also thought to be interested in a permanent move for the France international. They were linked with a loan deal last summer, but following a strong performance in a 3-0 home victory of Chelsea the decision was made to keep him at the club instead.
