The Guardian is reporting that Rafa Benitez wants to bring in Manchester City’s French International center-back Eliaquim Mangala this summer and Newcastle are willing to pay £15M for him.
Rafa is trying to improve the quality in most positions in the team during this summer transfer window and center-back is one of those positions he wants to strengthen, with one or even two experienced central defenders coming into the squad.
26 year-old Eliaquim Mangala
It’s difficult to gauge exactly how much money Rafa has in this transfer window, but estimates range for £70M to £100M in cash plus anything he can get by selling players this summer.
Rafa wants to bring in as many as eight new players so the starting side in August probably has half the team being new players who have only just arrived at the club.
We don’t think Newcastle are going to be short of funds this summer.
Mangala would like to stay at City and fight for his place, but it doesn’t seem that he’s in Pep Guardiola’s plans for the future and he was on loan at Spanish side Valencia last season, where he made 30 league starts with two goals.
No doubt Rafa was kept up to date on his form by contacts he still has at the club he managed from 2001 through 2004.
Rafa was their most successful manager ever winning two La Liga titles in 2001–2002 and 2003–2004 and the UEFA Cup in 2003–2004.
Newcastle must have a decent change of signing Mangala, but we will need to move quickly for the player who made 48 appearances for City over the two seasons he spent with them in the Premier League.
Mangala is a tough physical kind of center-back with a no-nonsense approach to defending and for £15M he could be a good buy for us.
Former Blackburn captain Grant Hanley will be leaving the club this summer and captain Jamaal Lascelles and Ciaran Clark will fight it out for the starting positions in central defense.
If Rafa decides to being in a second center-back this summer it’s expected that Chancel Mbemba could also be moved out.
Valencia are reported to be one of the clubs who could be interested in signing Mangala permanently this summer.
Comments welcome.
7 comments so far
Salmon
May 29, 2017 at 8:23 AM
Comment #1Prefer Demaray Grey(Gray ) than Townsend for that left wing spot.Trippier for right back as I don’t rate Yedlin.would not mind Reina coming in for Gk.Shaw or Bertrand for left back.Aaron Ramsey for Midfield and Kurt Zuma or Mamadu Sakho for center back.That’s us set for me.
Hope that’s not a dream & not too much.
toontaff2
May 29, 2017 at 8:34 AM
Comment #2No chance, Salmon! Other than Reina.
BenbulbenMag
May 29, 2017 at 8:38 AM
Comment #3I like your enthusiasm Salmon but no chance is right apart from Reina and possibly Sakho.
If we had finished 5th – 7th last season in the Premiership we would struggle to attract that caliber of player. We need to accept that it will be a gradual process.
If Rafa can pull an odd rabbit out of the hat brilliant, but initially it would be the very odd rabbit!
toontaff2
May 29, 2017 at 8:39 AM
Comment #4According to that stellar publication, The Hull Daily Mail, we’re linked with Kamil Grosicki. Looked decent when I saw him on MOD for Hull. Pretty sure he’s left wing. Maybe a pole poll?
Lindisfarne
May 29, 2017 at 8:40 AM
Comment #5If Diame was the first choice #10 last season, what does that tell us about the chances for de Jong to establish himself in the side?
The caveat being that we are now in a different league. I think Diame was mainly used to put pressure on the opposition by either winning the ball back high up the pitch, or pressure them into losing the ball. Using his pace and power, although he was not so good technically when it came to passing or latching onto a scoring opportunity. However, will Rafa be taking this model forward into the PL?
There is a high probability that he will, as Rafa seems to favour this way of setting up his starting side. Unfortunately de Jong does not appear to match these criteria and with hamstrings and lungs being his main injury issues, short bursts of running are not part of his game. If Rafa could find a player available that had the skills of both players then we would be onto a winner.
toontaff2
May 29, 2017 at 8:43 AM
Comment #6Sakho is apparently valued at 30 million, by Liverpool! 😆
switch365
May 29, 2017 at 9:34 AM
Comment #7Our defensive displays were far worse when Yedders was out injured, the odd match would qualify as coincidence. It wasn’t the odd match though. Tenders may have his knockers and that may be partially to some because he played for the mackem. But after a shaky start he put in a few motm performances and improved quite a bit both defensively and as an attacking wing-back