Orel Mangala transfer verdict given amid ‘PSR pawn’ concern at Everton
Everton loanee Orel Mangala is at risk of becoming a profit and sustainability “pawn” following his move from Lyon, according to Daniel Storey.
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo (8 September), the i reporter said he was hopeful that Mangala’s loan switch on transfer Deadline Day wouldn’t be used as a way for the Toffees to bypass PSR regulations.
A £33.7million option-to-buy deal has been included as part of the loan agreement between the Toffees and Lyon [Florian Plettenberg, 27 August], who could soon be owned by the same person in the form of John Textor.
Storey, who watched Mangala during his time at Nottingham Forest, said: “This feels very much like his Forest move to me – he’s come in because you needed or wanted another body in midfield, and the budgets were clearly restricted.
“He seems like a footballer who has got trapped within a lower-end Premier League battle and I hope for his sake he doesn’t become a PSR pawn, and also not just coming to Everton because he’s a someone.”
Orel Mangala transfer could be a sign of things to come at Everton
Mangala returning to the Premier League barely seven months after leaving for Ligue 1 likely wouldn’t have happened at such a late stage in the transfer window if it wasn’t for newfound relationships.
That, of course, refers to the fact that Textor is in talks to add the Toffees to his multi-club empire, which features Lyon alongside Botafogo of Brazil and Belgian second-tier side RWD Molenbeek.
Should Textor eventually take charge at Goodison, he will have a host of PSR and debt issues to solve before even thinking about strengthening the squad, thus loaning Mangala to the Blues makes sense.
A timeline on Textor’s takeover looks unclear to say the least, given he’s got a 45 per cent stake in Crystal Palace to dispose of before being able to have any buyout deal ratified by the Premier League [Simon Jordan, 17 August].
By the time Textor does become Everton’s new majority shareholder, if at all, Mangala could well be part of the furniture at Goodison Park – but if the Toffees’ poor start to the season continues throughout, he could be heading back to Lyon having played his part in an unthinkable relegation.
In other Everton news, Textor has identified a left-field manager to take up the mantle if he sacks Sean Dyche once taking charge.
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