Manchester City posted an interview with defender Eliaquim Mangala on their website on Thursday, even though the Frenchman’s £32m transfer is still yet to be confirmed.
The five minute clip shows Mangala arriving by private jet at Manchester Airport and he is then filmed being taken to his medical before being given a tour of City’s training facilities.
The 23 year-old is then asked by an interviewer what message he has for the City fans and the Frenchman replied: “I am here to help the team to win titles: the league, the cup and the Champions League.”
However it has now been revealed that it was shown on the website accidentally, and a senior Man City source admitted on Thursday night that the deal is still fraught with complications caused by the apparent presence of third-party ownership, which is against English football rules.
City have agreements with Porto and despite claims which may say the opposite, Mangala does want to join the Premier League champions.
The video was immediately pulled off the website once the club had been alerted to the mistake.
By Phil Wellbrook
