After months of speculation, Valencia have finally confirmed they will not be using their buying option to keep Manchester City defender Elaquim Mangala.
Loaned out by Pep Guardiola’s side at the start of the season, the Frenchman has managed to make 33 appearances for the La Liga club, and proved himself as an important player for the team.
But in a press conference today, club director Mateo Alemany said that Valencia will not be using buying options for any of the loanees they’ve got. The decision on whether to try and negotiate lower prices for them will be taken by manager Marcelino García Toral, who has just been presented at the club.
“Marcelino has just arrived. We are talking about a lot of things and he will communicate to the footballers on whom he does not count,” said Alemany. “If there’s interest in any of the loanees, we’ll have to see the conditions but the terms agreed in the contracts will not be kept. That’s for sure.” (via El Desmarque).
Besides Eliaquim Mangala, Guilherme Siqueira, Mario Suárez and Munir El Haddadi will all be heading to their parent clubs as well.
The word in the Spanish press was that Mangala could be bought for €20m, but after the option expired, Valencia will only try to get the player for a lower fee. Manchester City will likely have other options.
