Eliaquim Mangala
After a dismal start to the season, Manchester United are slowly finding their feet again in the Barclays Premier League, but after a draw away to Cardiff earlier today, the alarm bells are ringing once again, as David Moyes’ side is closer to the border of mediocrity than world class. However, with the January transfer window just over a month away, the Red Devils will be looking to add some much needed class to their back-line, and a prime candidate to do so is FC Porto’s Eliaquim Mangala. The France international is only 22 years old and has come to the attention of many of Europe’s top clubs over the past 2 years, due to his stellar performances in the Primeira Liga and the UEFA Champions League.
Although there is a lot of potential there, he is a pricey option, as previously Chelsea and Barcelona were reportedly quoted £40m for his services, and they may not be ready to pay that much for the youngster, though after missing out on Raphael Varane to Real Madrid, who is currently on a meteoric rise, it may be foolish to delay a bid any longer than they have to. With Marc Bartra’s quality performances in the absence of Carles Puyol, the Catalans may no longer be interested, but as John Terry approaches his 33rd birthday, the Blues can offer pretty stiff competition, but Manchester United can offer a solid place in the starting XI, which may be too good to turn down.
