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Report: Arsenal ‘Showing Interest’ In €48m-Rated Ace

By on February 10, 2014

Some interesting reports coming out of Portugal that claim Arsenal are interested in signing Porto’s €48m-rated centre-back Eliaquim Mangala.

The 22-year-old’s future has been filling the back pages of many newspapers over the past 18 months after his excellent form at the back for Porto has seen him linked with a whole host of top European clubs.

Manchester City were strongly on his case in January with Manuel Pellegrini understood to be keen on signing Mangala as well as midfielder Fernando, but the deal was supposedly delayed until the summer.

It now looks like we’re ready to go head-to-head with the Citizens with Portuguese newspaper A Bola claiming that Arsene Wenger wants to try and lure the French international to the Emirates this summer.

However, we’re going to have to dig deep as the player has a buy-out clause of €48m (£40m) and while there should be some room to negotiate that fee down, Porto are notoriously tough to deal with (they got £20m for Anderson!) so he won’t come cheap.

Mangala admitted back in December that he’s a huge fan of the Premier League, telling reporters:

“You can have the best agent in the world, but if you are not outstanding on the pitch you will never join any great club,” Mangala said in December,

“The Premier League? That is no secret, to me it is the most beautiful league in the world.

“Whatever the opponent, you know it will be a fight. The game is intense, it is fast, and everyone is giving his very best.”

Thomas Vermaelen is almost certain to leave at the end of the season as he’s clearly third choice behind Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny, so a replacement is going to have to be brought in and Mangala would be an excellent choice.

However, I’m not convinced Arsene Wenger will agree to pay the kind of money it is likely to take, and go up against the money of Man City, to sign a back-up central defender. He’s going to cost £25m at the very least, plus City will offer higher wages….would Arsene pay out that kind of money for a player who is unlikely to be first choice any time soon?

I very-much doubt it. So unless the boss is planning on breaking up the Per-Kos partnership next season, I can’t see this one happening.