Hello Mr Rybolovlev, here's a defender for your Monaco side.
Eliaquim Mangala
- Thread starter KM
- Start date
-
In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) and Imran (@Annihilate Now!) are here to discuss Amad saving our blushes in a win against Southampton as well as our now annual loss at home to Brighton. They discuss Amorim's post-match comments, revisit how mid-table we may or may not be, and discuss some transfer news.
- Status
So looks like we might be getting him, whats the cafes verdict on him?
If you are buying him from Porto, prepare to get mugged.
Us rich boys are used to that.
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/sep/26/manchester-united-porto-eliaquim-mangala
It's in The Times too but that's behind a paywall.
It's in The Times too but that's behind a paywall.
Not really. He hasn't disappointed since, is a more experienced player now and has definitely earned the first team spot for good. He's arguably one of the players we're counting on making very big money on relatively soon.
Seen him only a couple of times and been impressed. May perhaps be too expensive for us, but would be good to have one of those physical beasts in defence that will get the better of most strikers.
Several papers picking this one up. With our defensive struggles so far, would people now be more open to signing a top centre half?
report on him doesnt look that good from yesterday's performance
Most of the players that leave Porto in big money deals often go on to become world class if they are not already.....Unfortunately we seem to have signed probably one of Portos only big money dud exports. And there we were thinking we had just signed the new Ronaldinho. Carlos Quieroz's eye for a player seems very questionable when you realize Bebe is on his lift of recommendations from Portugal too
Rio is quickly running out of days and probably will retire in the summer and we know Vidic won't be around for ever. This guy is young so I'm sure a lot would welcome his signing.
I'd welcome any signing right now!
His name looks like when you randomly type keystrokes to check if your keyboard is on caps lock or not.
Yes. Or "foreign."
Only someone's opinion:
Why Manchester United have to forge ahead with this super swap-deal:
Date: 6th November 2013 at 1:00 pm
Written by: Harry Cloke | Comments (0)
Eliaquim Mangala is a name that just seems to keep popping up. It’s a memorable name and it’s also one that can’t seem to stay out of the rumour mill for too long. As the January transfer window approaches, we’re only going to hear it more.
Mangala is a French footballer (of Congolese descent), who’s currently plying his trade for FC Porto. The muscly, 6 ft 2 in centre-back is one of the toughest, smartest defenders in world football.
Since his second season with Porto, his development has sky-rocketed. He made 39 appearances last season and even managed to nab 7 goals along the way. His strength at the back and from set-pieces has certainly attracted a lot of attention from the European elite.
He’s also been given opportunities at International level. He has 3 French caps and is sure to stock up more quickly.
All this and he’s only 22-years-old. If he continues to develop at this rate, he’s going to blossom into a very special player indeed (it feels a little odd to use the word ‘blossom’ when talking about this lad).
According to The Express, Manchester United hope to ‘see off’ competition from Chelsea and Manchester City to sign Mangala.
Here’s the kicker: United’s secret weapon is their hapless Brazilian, Anderson. It’s claimed that the 25-year-old could be used as a makeweight in any United deal to sign Mangala.
Given the ever worsening nature of Anderson’s career, I wouldn’t be surprised if he fancied a move back to Portugal (where he played the best football of his career).
So Anderson would be given a change of scenery and a fresh start. But it’s Manchester United who would really profit. They would be switching a player who’s seemingly on the way out, for a player who is on his way up.
With Rio Ferdinand getting on in years and Nemanja Vidic a constant injury doubt, United are right to look at signing another centre-back. It’s exciting to see David Moyes weighing up his options and going for the most exciting, forward-thinking choice possible.
Mangala could well develop into a Manchester United hero. He could give the club the solid base at the back that it needs. His signing could help pull United back into contention this year.
As such, this deal is beginning to look even more essential.
http://thisisfutbol.com/2013/11/blo...ave-to-forge-ahead-with-this-super-swap-deal?
Why Manchester United have to forge ahead with this super swap-deal:
Written by: Harry Cloke | Comments (0)
Mangala is a French footballer (of Congolese descent), who’s currently plying his trade for FC Porto. The muscly, 6 ft 2 in centre-back is one of the toughest, smartest defenders in world football.
Since his second season with Porto, his development has sky-rocketed. He made 39 appearances last season and even managed to nab 7 goals along the way. His strength at the back and from set-pieces has certainly attracted a lot of attention from the European elite.
He’s also been given opportunities at International level. He has 3 French caps and is sure to stock up more quickly.
All this and he’s only 22-years-old. If he continues to develop at this rate, he’s going to blossom into a very special player indeed (it feels a little odd to use the word ‘blossom’ when talking about this lad).
According to The Express, Manchester United hope to ‘see off’ competition from Chelsea and Manchester City to sign Mangala.
Here’s the kicker: United’s secret weapon is their hapless Brazilian, Anderson. It’s claimed that the 25-year-old could be used as a makeweight in any United deal to sign Mangala.
Given the ever worsening nature of Anderson’s career, I wouldn’t be surprised if he fancied a move back to Portugal (where he played the best football of his career).
So Anderson would be given a change of scenery and a fresh start. But it’s Manchester United who would really profit. They would be switching a player who’s seemingly on the way out, for a player who is on his way up.
With Rio Ferdinand getting on in years and Nemanja Vidic a constant injury doubt, United are right to look at signing another centre-back. It’s exciting to see David Moyes weighing up his options and going for the most exciting, forward-thinking choice possible.
Mangala could well develop into a Manchester United hero. He could give the club the solid base at the back that it needs. His signing could help pull United back into contention this year.
As such, this deal is beginning to look even more essential.
http://thisisfutbol.com/2013/11/blo...ave-to-forge-ahead-with-this-super-swap-deal?
Swap deals don't happen.
£25m + Anderson or £24m straight cash.
Can he play in midfield.
On a serious note, we should add Fellaini, Bebe and Anderson in the deal.
On a serious note, we should add Fellaini, Bebe and Anderson in the deal.
Hmm Garay looks slightly different in that picture
On topic, if this lad is as good as is being touted, then the French potentially have a really great CB pairing in Varane and Mangala, with Koscielny in the mix as well.
We keep getting linked with Mangala though I haven't seen much of him, at all.
Arruda, what's the likely asking price because we know Porto aren't mugs when it comes to transfers?
I reckon it would take £25-30m. A lot for a centre back, but Porto tend to get top dollar for their best players.
I don't mean to be 'that guy' but shouldn't we be signing a left back, a creative midfielder and possibly a winger too before looking at centre backs?
CB doesn't strike me as an urgent area for improvement, the others do like a sore thumb.
CB doesn't strike me as an urgent area for improvement, the others do like a sore thumb.
For someone so young and (apparently) talented, that's probably a reasonable price, in today's market.
you just became "that guy" LCB. thanks for spoiling our muppetry 
Yes, we do have plenty of options at centre-half currently. However, if we really want to go back to challenging on every front, we need the very highest quality of player and almost an embarrassment of riches like many of the other European giants have. If you discount Vidic and Ferdinand, who surely won't be here longer than another season at most, a centre-back will be needed sooner rather than later to join Jones (not exclusively used at CB), Smalling (same again) and Evans.
Ferdinand is off this summer, we need him replacing with top quality.
It's quite possible that we'll only have three first team centre backs at the club by the summer, we definitely need a centre back, we also need all the stuff you've mentioned, plus a right back, and another left back, and probably another winger.
If a player is special or talented enough, it doesn't matter where needs improvement, United always had in the past what appeared to be a secondary 'transfer kitty' for players like Rooney and Rio.
Er that was more than 10 years ago. In the meantime a lot of special players went to other clubs because we refused to pay the money, citing value and other BS.
We spent a fair amount on Nani and Anderson combined in a similar belief in how they would turn out. But thanks for pointing out the time for me.
I'd say if we're to be signing another centre back (Not a pressing concern) then we need someone at their peak now. Rio is off, Vidic declining/off too and Smalling and Jones not yet at their peaks.
And Evans isn't top quality. Fergie had Garay lined up in the summer but apparently Moyes rejected the deal.
Aren't we still supposed to be heavily linked with this guy too?
And how do Smalling and Jones get to their peaks, exactly? Oh, I know, buy another shiny defender to stand in their way, curtail their progress and see them spend the most important years of their careers frittering away at right back and central midfield.
I couldn't give a feck about this guy. We'd probably buy him and shove him at right back, too, then get on his back when he amazingly doesn't turn out to be the defender we thought he could be. Ring any bells?
We only need a centre half if Vidic leaves. If he stays, we've got Evans, Smalling, Jones and Vidic with a very promising Michael Keane if in emergency. If we spend more money on a position that is stacked with quality just waiting for consistent game time before giving them the chance to see it bare fruit then I'll be outraged. We seem to buy younger players, or promote academy graduates and then drop/rotate them in favour of dreaded experience and then bleat on at them when they don't fulfil potential. Somebody mentioned Nani and Anderson above. Well, they never stood a chance under a sentimental Sir Alex that would opt for so called experience when all logic dictated doing otherwise. It cost us a league title.
I'm going off on a tangent, but the thought of allowing defensive, English talents like Smalling and Jones to fail in reaching their potential is criminal. I don't want anybody interrupting it unless Vidic leaves in 6 months, in which we should be experienced cover to replace him.
Jesus, calm down. I said myself it wasn't a priority and if you read my post properly I said i'd rather us sign a player at his peak as opposed to a young defender like Mangala. Smalling and Jones would find it a lot harder in the long run if we were to sign Mangala as opposed to an older, more experienced player.
Yeah I'm with Kag, except he's forgetting about the even more promising, IMO, Tom Thorpe who's 'potentially' future United captain material.
So that's a Vidic, Evans, Jones and Smallling with 2 highly promising young defenders from.the academy. I'd be happy going into next season with those options.
So that's a Vidic, Evans, Jones and Smallling with 2 highly promising young defenders from.the academy. I'd be happy going into next season with those options.
Sorry, it's just a subject that gets on my goat a little. We've bought £30 million pounds worth of the best English defensive talent in the country, both of whom have always done well, yet been interrupted by injury and experience, slowing their progress in comparison to their contemporaries such as Hummels and Varane. Then, there's reports of us wanting to purchase a new central defender when the time finally comes for them to take on the mantle and prove their true worth. I'll be pissed off if that happens and it will admittedly knock the confidence I have in United when it comes to the development of younger players. At the European U21's these guys were the best defenders in the tournament. They're that good.
Maybe Moyes doesn't have faith in Jones and Smalling being our main centre back pairing for the years to come, and would rather we sign a top young talent such as Mangala. Plus, Jones' future isn't necessarily clear and he seems to be spending more time in midfield nowadays than at centre back. Personally I think Mangala would be a good acquisition.
I see Smalling and Jones as our first choice in the years to come, hopefully Jones in midfield is as a stopgap.
- Status