Eliaquim Mangala’s move to Crystal Palace dead as Liverpool’s Mamadou Sakho heads to Selhurst Park – City Watch

Transfer deadline day isn’t turning out how Manchester City would have hoped. The Alexis Sanchez deal, which looked a near certainty to happen earlier today, now appears to be dead and Pep Guardiola’s pursuit of Jonny Evans is in serious doubt thanks to Eliaquim Mangala.

City agreed a deal worth up to £23million with Crystal Palace for Mangala, with the Daily Mail stating earlier that he had agreed to go. Since then, reports have surfaced that on the contrary, Mangala has continued his habit of turning down clubs.

And now, that proposed move is also dead in the water, with Palace on the cusp of re-signing Mamadou Sakho from Liverpool after the Merseyside club finally accepted an offer from Frank de Boer’s side.

Mamadou Sakho in London, Crystal Palace closing in on deal

— paul joyce (@_pauljoyce) August 31, 2017

What happens with Mangala now is anyone’s guess. Hours remain in the window and it may be that City have to loan him out to Inter, or retain him in the squad until at least January, despite Guardiola’s wish to replace the 26-year-old.