Eliaquim Mangala to be offered Manchester City lifeline

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola could stick with Eliaquim Mangala for the summer amid the club's failure to recruit a new central defender.

The France international has been a major disappointment for the Citizens since his £42m move from Porto in 2014, and he spent the previous campaign on loan with Valencia.

Los Che had the option of signing Mangala on a permanent basis this summer, but they opted against the deal due to his average showing in La Liga.

According to The Mail, Guardiola could utilise Mangala as his fourth-choice centre-back behind the likes of Vincent Kompany, John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi.

Jason Denayer is another player, who could fulfil the centre-back duties, but the club have left him to train with fringe players Samir Nasri and Wilfred Bony after he snubbed a loan move to Girona.

Manchester City begin their Premier League campaign with a visit to newcomers Brighton & Hove Albion, and Mangala could find himself in the travelling squad.