Manchester City Prepare £37m Bid To Beat Chelsea To Porto Star - Report

Manchester City are considering making a £37m bid for Porto's Eliaquim Mangala to keep the centre-back out of the clutches of Chelsea, according to reports.

The 22-year-old French international is considered one of the most talented centre-backs around Europe and has been heavily linked with Premier League giants since the summer with Chelsea, Manchester United and City facing competition from Barcelona and Monaco to sign the defender.

According to French website Le 10 Sport City are set to offer £37m to sign Mangala this month. Reports add that the club already made a similar offer to acquire his services last summer but Porto refused to sell the player at that time.

Manager Manuel Pellegrini is looking to strengthen his defence with Joleon Lescott's contract at City set to expire at the end of the season. The club are considering selling him this month in order to recoup a fraction of the £24m they paid Everton for him in 2009.

The Chilean boss has had to use midfielder Javi Garcia as a defender in a number of games this season due to injuries to Vincent Kompany, Martin Demichelis and Matija Nastasic and he is open to adding another centre-back to the squad.

Mangala has a £40m release clause in his contract and it has been reported that Porto are trying to keep him and are set to offer him a huge pay rise in an attempt to keep him at the Estadio do Dragao.

Porto signed him in the summer of 2011 for £5.5million and he has become one of the finest centre-back in Europe, making his debut with France last year against Uruguay.