Orel Mangala’s agent has insisted that the midfielder ended up at Everton this summer rather than Fiorentina because John Textor wanted it that way.
Giovanni Bia has been speaking to Tuttomercatoweb, relayed by Fiorentina News, about the move this summer and how Textor ended up ruining the plan with the Italian side.
Mangala joined Everton on loan from Lyon towards the end of the window, adding another option to the Blues midfield, which had lost Amadou Onana to Aston Villa.
His arrival at Goodison Park was hardly a smooth one, though, as they had to battle Fiorentina for his signature.
Reports in Italy over the course of a week were confident that the Belgian midfielder would end up at the Serie A side, consistently relaying information that the Italian club were confident they would beat Everton to him.
They were confident on that front, even while reports elsewhere had Everton on the verge of completing the deal for the midfielder.
Bia has now explained what went on, insisting that his client should have ended up in Italy, but Textor had other plans.
“I had set up the operation with Pradè and Goretti and the requests of Lyon had changed, which had opened up to the onerous loan with the right of redemption,” he said.
“The president (Textor) then decided to give him to Everton, and everything fell apart when it seemed that the thing was in the right of redemption.
“The loan figures with the right were for a total of 25-30 million. He was almost leaving for Florence but then everything fell through.
“Could the negotiations restart in the summer? Given the great appreciation of the player and Fiorentina, I think so, but it depends on Everton and the path they will take. But I repeat, the player had given his yes to the Viola.”
