Eliaquim Mangala nearing Man City exit

Manchester City are expected to offload the services of Eliaquim Mangala before the transfer window closes next week.

The France international joined the Citizens from Porto for £31.8m in the summer of 2014 and has since managed just 64 appearances across all competitions for the club.

Pep Guardiola has utilised the likes of Vincent Kompany, John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi as part of his back three this season, and the arrival of Jonny Evans from West Bromwich Albion would free up Mangala for a new challenge.

Inter Milan are said to have expressed a keen interest in Mangala in recent days, and according to Sky Sports News, the Citizens are hopeful of sanctioning the defender's exit before Thursday's transfer deadline.

Mark Hughes' Stoke City are also in the hunt for the former Standard Liege centre-back, who has two years left on his Etihad contract. Mangala spent the previous season on loan with Spanish club Valencia where he was particularly poor with one-on-one situations.