Chelsea Told To Fork Out For Eliaquim Mangala

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Blues defensive target won’t come cheap.

Chelsea will have to fork out if they are to land their prime defensive target Eliaquim Mangala, and meet the full value of the player’s release clause, according to Sky Sports.

Porto president Pinto Da Costa is adamant that the team’s star player will not leave for less than the club’s asking price of £42.4million, which is a reflection of how far Mangala has come in recent times.

The talented 22-year-old has been a star performer for the Portuguese side, and Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho may look to raise funds for a bid by offloading key players from his squad such as David Luiz, Branislav Ivanovic and even Juan Mata.

Although Chelsea have been known for spending vast amounts in the transfer market under wealthy owner Roman Abramovich, Mourinho has stressed the importance of adhering to UEFA’s new Financial Fair Play regulations, and may no longer be able to spend such money on any one player without selling first.

Luiz is a target for Real Madrid and Barcelona, and could fetch around £30million, and the Brazilian is one player in particular that Mourinho is keen to move on and replace this summer, as he feels the former Benfica man is too lax with his defensive duties.

However, he could switch his attention to another young French defender in Raphael Varane, if Porto continue to stand firm on Mangala.

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