United eye youngster to improve defensive options.
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Manchester United are keen to rival the likes of Chelsea and Barcelona for young Porto defender Eliaquim Mangala, according to talkSPORT.
The Frenchman has been a highly impressive performer for the Portuguese side for the last couple of seasons since joining from Standard Liege, and has been widely tipped to leave the club for a top European side for much of the summer.
Chelsea are understood to have been his main admirers for quite some time, though their interest may now have cooled as it seems increasingly unlikely that David Luiz will leave the club for Barcelona.
Barca themselves have turned their attention to Mangala in a bid to solve their defensive problems, with new manager Gerardo Martino unconvinced by current first choice pairing Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique.
United have also been linked with defensive reinforcements at points this summer, and looked at one point like agreeing a deal to sign Ezequiel Garay from Benfica, though it never materialised.
Mangala could now be the answer to their problems, as they seek long-term replacements for the ageing Rio Ferdinand and the injury-prone Nemanja Vidic. Mangala is supposedly now available for around £20million.