Everton believe they are the frontrunners to sign Manchester City outcast Eliaquim Mangala, reports The Independent.
Mangala has no long-term future at City under Pep Guardiola and is free to leave following Aymeric Laporte’s club-record arrival on Tuesday.
The 26-year-old is now poised to leave on loan for the remainder of the season with the likes of Everton, Newcastle and West Ham chasing his signature.
Sam Allardyce is desperate to sign a left-sided defender before Wednesday’s 11pm deadline, but ideally wanted cover at left-back for the injured Leighton Baines.
The Everton manager is instead willing to settle on Mangala, who is a left-footed centre-back and believes the Toffees have the edge over both of his former clubs.
Mangala has been nothing short of a disaster since joining City from Porto in an astonishing £42m deal back in 2014 and has only managed 15 appearances in all competitions this season.
