Chelsea Considering Late Hijack Attempt On Man City’s €40m Deal

The summer transfer window is now open for business and it’s expected to be a busy few weeks as managers strengthen their squads ahead of next season, so we’ll bring you all the latest news and gossip. Today, Chelsea could hijack Man City deal.

Chelsea are considering a late hijack attempt after Manchester City agreed a €40m (£32m) deal with Porto for their highly-rated centre-back Eliaquim Mangala, according to reports.

Mangala has been strongly linked with a move to the Premier League over the past 12 months with Chelsea, Man City and Man Utd all believed to have been keeping a close eye on the players progress in recent months.

But it looks like the champions have now stolen a march on their rivals with the Telegraph claiming that they have agreed a €40m (£32m) fee with Porto on Thursday and have now been given permission to discuss personal terms with the defender about a move to the Etihad.

Despite lifting the Premier League trophy last season, Manuel Pellegrini is understood to be keen on strengthening his defensive options to find a solid partner for skipper Vincent Kompany, and it appears Mangala has emerged as the prime candidate.

However, the deal could yet be in jeopardy as the Telegraph suggest that Chelsea are considering a late attempt to hijack the move. Jose Mourinho needs to find a long-term replacement for John Terry and with David Luiz off to PSG, he’s a little short of options at the back and the report suggests he could yet formalise his interest in Mangala.

Should the west Londoners match City’s bid, they would immediately put themselves in the driving seat as the 23-year-old has previously stated that he’d opt for a switch to Stamford Bridge over the Etihad simply based on the fact Chelsea are in London.

Mangala told the Guardian:

“City or Chelsea? Chelsea because it is London. It is true that I love the Premier League because it is a spectacular championship.

“In January, there were discussions with City, but it fell through because the two clubs could not reach an agreement. Every player wants to play in the biggest clubs.”

So based on these comments, things could change very quickly if Chelsea decide to make a late move for the player – although it remains to be seen whether Mourinho has the funds left over following the big-money purchases of Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa.

READ MORE–> Chelsea transfer news | Man City transfer news

However, as it stands, it looks as though the Frenchman is off to City and his arrival is likely to see either Matija Nastasic or Joleon Lescott leave the club. Juventus have been linked with Nastasic and although the young Serb remains highly rated at City, the club may opt to keep hold of Lescott to help meet their ‘home grown’ quota next season.