Manchester City Transfer News: Latest Yaya Toure, Eliaquim Mangala Rumours

Former Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini claims Yaya Toure wouldn't sign for Inter Milan because he didn't want to betray the Citizens, while Spanish reports indicate that City could lose a hefty chunk of cash if Valencia trigger their option for Eliaquim Mangala.

According to Mancini, who left Inter during the summer, the Nerazzurri tried hard to sign the Ivorian in the summer of 2015 and again this summer, but the veteran was determined to stick with City and prove himself at the Etihad Stadium.

Speaking to Corriere dello Sport (h/t Manchester Evening News' James Robson), Mancini said:

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Yaya was always one of my goals. We had almost sealed his purchase with President Erick Thohir a year ago, then he preferred not to betray Manchester City, where I took him.

Toure, like Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of those players who can make the difference, who can change the outcome of a season by themselves like Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo.

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The 33-year-old finds himself at a crossroads, as his City career appears to be coming to an end in a hurry. Manager Pep Guardiola, who has already sold him once when the two worked together in Barcelona, left the midfielder out of his UEFA Champions League squad and has barely used him so far.

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According to Robson, Toure's agent, Dimitri Seluk, already stated that his client will sign a pre-contract with a new club in January, just months after Inter and clubs from China tried to sign him. He could have become the highest-paid player in the world in the Far East, per Robson.

MailOnline's Mike Keegan wrote that Seluk might have given up on City already, but Toure still wants to fight for his place:

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Toure has vowed to do everything in his powers to convince Guardiola, who sold him to City from Barcelona for £24m in 2010, that he can make an impact in the first team.

And while being disappointed at his omission from the European squad, the midfielder is determined to prove his point.

Toure, who has won two Premier League titles, two League Cups and an FA Cup with City wants to force his way into Guardiola’s plans and, should he not be offered a new contract, go out on a high.

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Inter will likely not be an option in January, as Mancini's presence was the main reason Toure was linked with the Italians. New manager Frank de Boer has been tasked with rebuilding the club and has so far prioritised signing young talents, so offering the Ivorian massive wages to join would do more harm than good in the long run.

There will be other European clubs interested in his services, however, and Major League Soccer and the Chinese league will also be options. The latter in particular has become a haven for players looking for top dollar, and the interest was already there during the summer.

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Meanwhile, Plaza Deportiva (h/t Robson) reported that Valencia's clause to make Mangala's loan deal permanent is just £15 million, and if the Spanish club decide to trigger it, City will lose no less than £27 million on the centre-back.

The 25-year-old signed from FC Porto in 2014 amid much fanfare, as he had all the physical tools to become one of the most dominant centre-backs in the world.

He lacked the vision to go with his tools, however, and persistent errors and a lack of consistency quickly dropped him down the pecking order.

Valencia hope he can rediscover the form he showed at Porto. Here's a look at how he played at the Estadio do Dragao:

The arrival of another young defender with a huge price tag, John Stones, all but sealed Mangala's fate, and this loan move was always expected to be followed by a permanent deal.

The £15 million option is a surprise, however, as Mangala has the talent to bounce back this season and catch the eye of other top clubs entering next summer.

Perhaps a team that still believed in his potential would have been willing to spend more than £15 million for his services, but if Mangala has a solid season, Valencia will make sure it never comes to that.