Just when it looked like Eliaquim Mangala had turned his Man City career around, he’s had another setback that’s nothing to do with on-pitch matters.
The French defender has established himself in City’s back-line after a difficult first season, but now the big-money deal that brought him to the Etihad from Porto is being investigated by FIFA.
Football’s governing body is looking into whether the £42m deal was carried out in breach of third-party ownership regulations, according to Bloomberg.
The main questions concern whether investor group Doyen Sports, which received a portion of City’s outlay as a part-owner of Mangala’s rights, was illegally involved in negotiations with the Premier League club.
Doyen have also invested in other Premier League imports such as Marcos Rojo and Dusan Tadic, while the list of players represented by the company includes former Man City striker Alvaro Negredo.
According to Bloomberg it is Porto’s involvement with Doyen that is under investigation, rather than any of City’s activities regarding the transfer.
