Pellegrini still keen to spend big on new defender.
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Manchester City are ready to make a £30m bid to Porto for their highly-rated young centre-back Eliaquim Mangala as soon as the January transfer window opens, according to the Daily Star.
New City boss Manuel Pellegrini is known to be unhappy with his current defensive options, and is facing an injury crisis with three of his first choice central defenders currently out injured for several weeks.
32-year-old Argentine international Martin Demichelis was brought in from Atletico Madrid late on in the transfer window as emergency cover, only for him to pick up a knee injury in training as well, keeping him out for six weeks.
Mangala was reportedly a target for City over the summer, as well as for the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Barcelona, and it is understood he is Pellegrini’s first choice now to solve his defensive problems.
The 22-year-old Frenchman is widely regarded as one of the best young defenders in the world, and has a buy-out clause of £40m in his contract with Porto, though City will hope to land him for £30m with a possible £10m to follow in add-ons.
This could signal an end to City’s pursuit of another top target, Real Madrid’s Portuguese international centre-back Pepe.