Rio Ferdinand expressed surprise and skepticism over the €54 million transfer of Eliaquim Mangala to Manchester City, a fee that at the time made him the most expensive defender in football history. His reaction, posted on Twitter, compared the Mangala and David Luiz (€50 million to PSG) deals, prompting him to raise an important rhetorical question:
“Mangala €31M and Luiz €50M… How much would Varane cost with the market prices right now? €60–70M?”
Though Ferdinand mistakenly quoted Mangala’s price as €31 million (likely mixing up fee structures), his point was clear: Raphaël Varane, younger and more accomplished at the time with Real Madrid, would command an even higher valuation under such inflated market conditions.
Ultimately, Ferdinand’s tweet revealed:
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His admiration for Varane, suggesting he viewed him as the superior talent.
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Doubts about Mangala’s valuation, possibly questioning whether the transfer fee reflected true defensive quality or just market inflation.
