Moyes keen on Porto youngster to strengthen backline.
Check in to Transfer Window: Done Deal Alerts
Manchester United manager David Moyes could dip into the transfer market for a defender before the end of the summer, with the Metro claiming he is targeting Porto’s Eliaquim Mangala.
The young French centre-back has been linked with the likes of Chelsea and Barcelona for much of the summer, but could now be a top target for United as the transfer window draws to a close.
Moyes feels his defence could be an area that needs improvement due to the age and injury record of current first-choice pair Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, and was believed to be close to wrapping up a deal for Benfica’s Ezequiel Garay earlier in the summer.
A move for the Argentine never materialised, but Mangala is one of the top defensive prospects in the world after a highly impressive season with Porto last year, and he is unlikely to come cheap this summer.
The Portuguese side have already lost two key players in Joao Moutinho and James Rodriguez, both of whom signed for big-spending Monaco, and could still face bids for their highly-rated Colombian striker Jackson Martinez, who is another player of theirs being eyed up by Chelsea.