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City complete Mangala signing

Eliaquim Mangala has finally completed his protracted move to Manchester City to become the Premier League champions' sixth signing of the summer.

Mangala has joined from Porto for £31.9 million to end manager Manuel Pellegrini's long pursuit of the centre-back.

City first bid for the 23 year old in January and have been closing in on him for much of the summer.

Eliaquim Mangala has joined Manchester City from Porto for £31.9 million © Getty Images

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Mangala underwent a medical in Manchester more than three weeks ago and then City's official website accidentally broadcast a video that seemed to show him signing. The club then claimed their website had been hacked and insisted no deal had been finalised.

Pellegrini also all-but confirmed the deal ahead of City's 3-0 defeat in the Community Shield at Wembley, when he accidentally let it slip in a pre-match interview by including Mangala in a list of players the club had signed this summer.

"We have a very strong squad," Pellegrini had said on BT Sport. "The players that we have brought in - Fernando, Caballero, Sagna and Mangala - will help the team and will make us stronger defending but I hope we continue to be strong offensively but I'm happy with the squad."

Arriving as a replacement for Joleon Lescott, who was released at the end of last season after five years at the Etihad Stadium, Mangala will provide competition for Martin Demichelis and Matija Nastasic in the battle to partner captain Vincent Kompany.

He becomes the most expensive defender in City's history and their costliest recruit this summer.

Mangala will be reunited with midfielder Fernando, a Porto team-mate who joined City for £12m, while Pellegrini has also recruited Arsenal right-back Bacary Sagna on a free transfer and Malaga goalkeeper Willy Caballero for £4.4m.

Argentine midfielder Bruno Zuculini, who is regarded as one for the future, has also arrived while the more experienced Frank Lampard has been borrowed from New York City FC on a six-month loan.

City CEO Ferran Soriano said last week that the recruitment of a centre-back would bring an end to the club's summer business.

With Jack Rodwell already joining Sunderland in a £10m deal, several other City fringe players such as Micah and Scott Sinclair could also be set to leave the club.

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