Reigning champions City edge towards FFP transfer limit with Mangala capture
REIGNING Premier League champions Manchester City have taken their net summer spend within range of the maximum stipulated under sanctions imposed by European governing body Uefa after splashing out £32m on defender Eliaquim Mangala from Porto.
The 23-year-old has signed a five-year-deal at the Etihad Stadium and joins fellow new recruits Willy Caballero, Fernando, Bacary Sagna and Bruno Zuculini as manager Manuel Pellegrini plots City’s title defence, which starts at Newcastle United on Sunday.
As part of wide-ranging sanctions for breaching Financial Fair Play regulations, City have a restriction on their transfer spending with a net outlay of £49m permitted in the current transfer window.
The combined cost of City’s transfer dealings so far surpasses £50m but is offset by the £10m recouped from the sale of Jack Rodwell to Sunderland, while Russian side Zenit St. Petersburg are said to be tracking Spaniard Javi Garcia.
West Ham United’s search for attacking reinforcements suffered a blow yesterday as Sunderland rejected a £4m bid for striker Connor Wickham.
Hammers boss Sam Allardyce has identified the 25-year-old as a candidate to help plug the gap left by Andy Carroll, who is out until November with an ankle injury.
Chelsea midfielder Marko Marin, deemed surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge, looks set to complete a season-long loan move to Italian side Fiorentina.