Manchester City's Mangala joins Valencia on season-long loan
To see a list of completed deals in the summer window thus far, visit theScore's Premier League transfer tracker.
After a disappointing two years at Etihad Stadium, Eliaquim Mangala will try something different.
On Wednesday, the final day of the summer transfer window, Mangala joined Valencia on season-long loan from Manchester City, extending until June 30, 2017.
(Courtesy: Valencia CF)
Mangala, a product of Standard Liege, joined City from FC Porto in 2014 for a reported fee of around £42 million, making the French centre-back the most expensive defender in English football at the time. It was assumed he would play alongside Vincent Kompany in one of the Premier League's most lethal defensive partnerships, but a pattern of uneven form has prevented the 25-year-old from living up to his price tag.
Eliaquim Mangala: No player has made more errors that have led to a shot for Manchester City since Aug 2014 than Mangala (5) #mcfc
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) August 26, 2016
It was reported on Tuesday that Mangala could return to Porto on loan, and Tottenham Hotspur was apparently considering a move for the player. Instead, Valencia emerged victorious in acquiring his signature.
Mangala failed to take the pitch through the first three matchdays of the 2016-17 Premier League season and the 2016-17 Champions League's play-offs, as Pep Guardiola opted for John Stones, Kompany, and Nicolas Otamendi, even playing Aleksandar Kolarov at centre-back.