According to The Sun, Wolves are interested in the services of Manchester City defender Eliaquim Mangala in the upcoming January transfer window.
The Frenchman has struggled with injuries and is unlikely to receive adequate playing time under City manager Pep Guardiola.
In this article, we will discuss the pros and cons of Mangala’s potential transfer to Molineux.
Pros
Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo has remained true to his trusted back three of Ryan Bennett, Conor Coady and Willy Bolly this season. But, in his tactical philosophy, defenders are tasked to provide very little to almost nothing in the build-up as all of the three defenders often defend in deep-blocks, letting their midfielders do the work.
This could be ideal for Ellaquim Mangala, who is not known for his technical qualities but has excellent defensive prowess. He is a dogged defender, who excels when his team are defending in deep-blocks as he normally makes a host of tackles and clearances.
He is quite strong in the air as well, having won over 2.5 headed duels per game in each of his last four seasons whilst also averaging over four clearances in three of the last campaigns – indicating his defensive solidity in front of goal.
Furthermore, he is a robust defender who is exceptionally strong when it comes to physical duels – making him an ideal fit for Wolves.
Cons
Mangala is undoubtedly blessed with the right set of qualities which may help him become an ideal signing for Wolves. But having said that, the Frenchman has struggled in recent seasons due to injuries and lack of form.
Injuries, in particular, have been hugely detrimental to his performance as the former Porto defender is still struggling with a knee injury that has kept him out on the sidelines for almost a year now.
In fact, he is yet to return to full fitness, which raises a doubt over his fitness and whether or not he will remain the same following a long injury layoff.
In addition, Mangala is prone to making errors, which certainly doesn’t go all too well with coach Espirito Santo, who is a stickler for perfection, much like Guardiola himself.
The Frenchman also has a bad disciplinary record that surely needs an improvement if he is to make himself a regular fixture under the Portuguese mastermind.
But, as mentioned earlier, the 27-year-old is ideally suited to Wolves’ playing style and thus, a move to Molineux will offer him with the opportunity to redeem his career following a rough couple of seasons at Manchester City.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored
