Manchester City made their sixth signing of the summer last week in the form of centre-back Eliaquim Mangala. The 23-year-old joins fellow former Porto team-mate Fernando in the City ranks, and immediately spoke of the lure of linking up with players he knew well, as well as his ambition for silverware in the Premier League.
“For me, it was an important step to leave Porto and join Manchester City in order to continue my progress. I want to win titles and I believe I can do this. The fact that Fernando is here is better because I played with him at Porto but there is also other players that I know like (Bacary) Sagna, (Gael) Clichy and (Samir) Nasri.”
Upon the France international’s arrival, City boss Manuel Pellegrini reiterated Mangala’s suitability to the demands of the Premier League, and dwelled upon the progress the defender could be set to make with the Premier League champions:
“I’m delighted to have added a player of Eliaquim’s quality in the squad ahead of the new season. He is already a fine player but in my opinion, he has all of the mental, physical, technical and tactical attributes to become one of Europe’s very best defenders. Eliaquim is a player I believe will make an immediate impact in the Premier League, thanks to his physicality, his reading of the game and quality on the ball.”
The History
Born in Paris, Mangala moved to Belgium at the age of five. Having spent time at a number of clubs in the area of Numur, he eventually attracted interest from Standard Liege and in 2007 signed a youth contract with the Belgian Pro League club. Up to this point Mangala had played as a striker, but he was soon transformed into a centre-back during his youth career at Liege, and with this came a five-year professional contract with the club in 2008. Mangala went on to make a total of 104 appearances, winning both the Belgian league and cup and scoring five goals, including the opening strike in Arsenal’s 3-2 victory over Liege in the Champions League in 2009.
Mangala’s performances soon attracted the attention of Europe’s elite and it was reigning Europa League champions Porto who captured the centre-back in 2011. Despite a total of 92 appearances across his three seasons with the club, he actually failed to start a match during his first year, although he did pick up a Primeira Liga winners medal. The following season, however, proved far more fruitful for the youngster. As a first choice centre-back Mangala totalled 39 appearances, bagging seven goals and playing a major role in Porto’s undefeated league record that saw them lift the title once again. Although his side did not manage the same feat again last term, Mangala continued to excel in the Primeira Liga, Champions League and Europa League, and he joins City on the back of a campaign that brought him five goals, two assists and fifteen clean sheets in all competitions.
Despite growing up in Belgium, Mangala has chosen to play international football for his country of birth, France. The defender made 21 appearances for the France Under-21 side before receiving his first senior international cap in June 2013 in a 1-0 defeat to Uruguay. Mangala was a surprise selection by Didier Deschamps for this summer’s World Cup, but was an unused substitute for Les Bleus in all five of their matches in Brazil.
The Prospects
A reported £32 million price tag might have some Fantasy managers believing that Mangala will be regular starter for Pellegrini’s side. With Matija Nastasic edging ever closer to the Etihad exit door, however, it’s now a straight fight between Mangala and Martin Demichelis (both priced at 6.0 in Fantasy Premier League) for the spot alongside Vincent Kompany in the centre of City’s rearguard. The latter has already pressed ahead in the race after playing 90 minutes for City in their 2-0 victory over Newcastle last weekend. That clean sheet – making City the only premium back line not to concede at the weekend – would suggest that Pellegrini is unlikely to alter his defence for the Gameweek 2 visit of Liverpool, particularly with Mangala still building up match fitness.
With encounters against Arsenal and Chelsea also coming up in City’s next four fixtures, Pellegrini will surely not want to take any risks, and giving a 23-year-old centre-back his Premier League debut certainly seems a bit of a gamble in light of the opposition. Hence, it may well be that Fantasy managers have to wait for the Champions League to get underway for Mangala to be handed his opportunity.
Indeed, should he benefit from rotation and be handed the chance to impress, there’s no doubt that the Frenchman could oust Demichelis from the regular City back-four and nail down a starting role. Though he may still be young, Mangala is not lacking in top-flight experience, and Pellegrini’s aforementioned appraisal of his qualities suggests that the City boss believes the defender will not take long to adjust to the Premier League.
There is still a fear, however, that Pellegrini could chose to employ the same to-me-to-you rotation pattern with Mangala and Demichelis across the upcoming campaign as he did with Gael Clichy and Aleksandar Kolarov last season, leaving us to guess which one will feature in every fixture. Us Fantasy managers will undoubtedly be hoping that this is not the case, with a reliable 6.0 route into last season’s third best defence being a hugely enticing prospect. Nevertheless, what with Bacary Sagna now rivalling Pablo Zabaleta at right-back and Joe Hart’s starting role under threat from new signing Willy Caballero, it’s the ever-reliable Kompany who remains the safest option in City’s defence for now.
Further Reference
Eliaquim Mangala Transfer Markt Page
