Eliaquim Mangala in Saint-Etienne, from the most expensive defender in the world to the spare wheel of the 20th in L1

August 11, 2014. Elaquim Mangala is 23 years old and the future ahead of him. In club, necessarily, where Manchester City went to the end of its ideas to attach, at a high price, the services of one of the most fashionable defenders on the market. Also in selection, where Didier Deschamps included him in his list for the Brazilian World Cup and intends to make him one of the pillars of the blue group for the future.

Certain potential, great debut

“He has all the mental, physical, technical and tactical baggage to become one of the best defenders in Europe“, still advances Manuel Pellegrini when justifying the staggering cost of the player, very happy to be able to count on a colossus with already solid experience despite his young age. An argument similar to that of Didier Deschamps a few months earlier, after his invitation for the South American tour of the Blues in 2013: “He’s got the potential, he’s got everything“.

The fairy tale even begins like a dream for Mangala. “Honestly, this might be the best Premier League rookie debut I can remember, believes Pete Sharland, journalist for Eurosport UK. Against Chelsea (1-1), with Vincent Kompany at his side, he was absolutely phenomenal. I don’t remember so many defenders who have dominated Diego Costa so much in a game“. The sequel will be more nuanced.

Discovering the Premier League and his physical preparation, Mangala bites on certain meetings despite his size (1.88m) and multiplies the cards. “Sometimes I feel like I went through a washing machine, he confided to Sportsmail a few months after his arrival. I would like to say that playing against a team like Chelsea is not necessarily a guarantee of a pure English match. It’s a kind of opposition I’m more used to. Roma also, in the Champions League, it was a different style compared to the game in the Premier League. I’m still in a period of acclimatization and the upcoming matches against teams like Hull City who have a typical English game, with long balls in the air, big physical duels with every contact, that’s the kind of thing to which I will take some time to get used to“.

“When he arrived in England he was not yet a finished product but he clearly had what it takes to succeed“, completes our colleague. With good reason: in his first two seasons with the Citizens, Mangala played around sixty matches and established himself as a full-fledged holder of the Mancunian squad.

But the Kingdom does not seem completely under its spell, between small physical glitches, small individual errors and lack of leadership. Before challenging PSG in the quarter-finals of C1 in 2016, the defender was more than necessary charged by Chris Sutton, consultant for the BBC. “You can’t give someone a brain, attacks the former striker. This is Mangala’s problem. He makes sometimes appalling decisions“.

In response, the defender crunches Zlatan Ibrahimovic and PSG to reach the semi-finals of C1 with the praise of his coach. “Mangala is having a great season, believes Pellegrini. He comes back from injury but when he plays in our team, we win. He’s got some great performances and it’s not surprising to see him at this level.“.

The Umtiti turning point, the Guardiola revolution

Meanwhile, Mangala is slow to become a credible option for the Blues. But, as if fate seemed to want to catch him by the collar, Euro 2016 must be his advent: Raphaël Varane and Jérémy Mathieu packages before the competition, Mamadou Sakho suspended by the World Anti-Doping Agency, he appears as the one who must accompany Laurent Koscielny in the central axis.

Already damaged by a summer he had imagined otherwise, Mangala is downright shaken by another tornado that has just landed in Manchester: Pep Guardiola. Quickly, the name of the French is cited among the lists of players no longer entering the plans of the Catalan. “Guardiola quickly felt that Mangala did not have the level required on the ball to play in the team he wanted to build“, still advances Pete Sharland.

It was then in Valencia that he landed, on loan. To revive and confirm that he has lost none of his potential. “Here in Mestella he had two spells, retraces Nacho Sanchis, who follows FC Valence for AS. The first, in 2016-2017. At that time he was a terrible central defender, a physical beast“. Mangala regains feelings (33 matches) and confidence. In the summer of 2017, back at City, he decides to force his destiny to succeed in seducing a Pep Guardiola who is not a fan of his profile.

2018, the injury that changes him forever

2018 is the other big turning point. At the Citizens, Mangala clings to the point of receiving praise from the Catalan coach who ends up relying on him when his usual starters are missing. “I am very impressed with his behavior during training, underlines the coach of the Citizens. He didn’t play regularly until then and he always accepted it. He always tried to help the team and when things like this happen I can only take my hat off.“.

However, in winter, it was the elegant Aymeric Laporte who joined City, forcing Mangala to find another solution. She will come from Everton, for a new loan. It will run out. During his second game with the Toffees, his right knee buckled. Result: nine months off and a style of play to rethink. His 2018-2019 season is only with the Manchester City B team.

21 matches since 2019

On his return to Valencia in the summer of 2019, “it’s not the same defender anymore“, estimates the AS journalist. In two seasons, Mangala only plays 21 matches, rarely those that count. In the summer of 2021, logically, Valencia lets him go without offering him an extension. The courtiers, no doubt cooled by the Uncertainty about his level, do not go further than simple inquiries.So, the Frenchman decides to continue training on his side, proof of his relentless professionalism, a word that constantly comes up about him.