Eliaquim Mangala Joins Valencia on Loan

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Eliaquim Mangala Joins Valencia on Loan

Valencia have signed France international Eliaquim Mangala on a season-long loan deal from Manchester City.

The 25-year-old arrives as a timely defensive reinforcement for the Liga club following Shkodran Mustafi’s departure to Arsenal on Tuesday, while Aymen Abdennour is reportedly a target for Chelsea.

Mangala follows Joe Hart, Wilfried Bony and Samir Nasri in making loan exits from City on deadline day having failed to make a matchday squad since Pep Guardiola succeeded Manuel Pellegrini as manager.

He moved to the Etihad Stadium in August 2014, becoming the most expensive defender in Premier League history at the time, but a succession of high-profile errors hindered Mangala’s attempts to become a first-team fixture.

The former Porto man was part of Didier Deschamps’ France squad that finished as runners-up to Portugal on home soil at Euro 2016, though he did not make a start during the competition.

Mangala was pushed down the pecking order at the Etihad Stadium following the arrival of England international John Stones from Everton.

A City statement read: “Everyone at City would like to wish Eliaquim the best of luck at Valencia.”