Eliaquim Mangala Faces Tough Competition for Starting Role at Manchester City
Despite Manchester City’s hefty €40 million investment in Eliaquim Mangala, the Franco-Congolese defender is yet to secure a regular starting spot in the team. The 23-year-old faces stiff competition from established centre-backs Vincent Kompany and Martín Demichelis, as manager Manuel Pellegrini outlined.
“He has a lot to offer. He’s a very solid defender and also very fast. At 23, he still has room to improve, which is what we were looking for,” Pellegrini said. “We have many games to play this season. At the moment, Demichelis and Kompany are performing well, but that doesn’t mean Mangala can’t get his chance. His time will come, and then everything will depend on his performances.”
Mangala was a key figure at FC Porto, where he was an undisputed starter, making his current battle for minutes at City a new challenge in his career.
