One of the key issues that Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has had to deal with this season at Old Trafford is a lack of a fully functioning, top-class central defender.

During the historic club’s most recent period of success, Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand formed a formidable central defensive pairing but have since left the Red Devils.

With only Marcos Rojo brought in to fill the void left by the experienced duo and the likes of Paddy McNair and Tyler Blackett promoted into the first-team fold, there is no wonder that United are constantly linked with new centre-halves.

Although with Jonny Evans, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones not fully convincing the Old Trafford faithful this term for one reason or another, United appear to have dodged a significant bullet by allowing a close rival to sign a past target.

The Old Trafford outfit were embroiled in a tussle with a number of sides for the signing of Eliaquim Mangala, but in the end up the French centre-half opted for a switch to United’s cross-town rivals in blue.

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On first sight City appeared to have landed an ideal partner for club captain Vincent Kompany; the new addition is a man mountain, quick across the ground, a French international and full of promise.

However, in reality United seemingly have had the last laugh, with Mangala not developing into the player that Manuel Pellegrini hoped he would be this season.

The 24-year-old has looked off the pace, clumsy in possession and positionally naive when the Premier League champions have been put under pressure.

To prove the point that Mangala does not inspire confidence in his manager, the Chilean coach opted to play the ageing Martin Demichelis against Barcelona, not the former Porto enforcer.

With so much pace in the Spanish side’s attack, putting the more sprightly Mangala in the side seemingly made sense, but it is clear that Demichelis’ reading of the game got him the nod – despite limitations in other parts of his game.

With Kompany’s form slipping and the giant Belgian being dropped in City’s most recent fixture, the Etihad Stadium outfit have needed another one of their defenders to step up to the plate and show leadership.

Mangala certainly has not done that. As such, had United signed him the Frenchman would not have prospered in the transitional environment that is the Old Trafford defence this season.

Having a nervy, out-of-form Mangala in Van Gaal’s squad would only have proved a headache rather than an asset, with the Dutchman then charged with getting the best from a floundering talent.

Given the transfer fee that City paid for the defender, believed to be in the £30 million range, United would have had another expensive flop to cope with and more questions would have been asked about the club’s transfer policy.

Hindsight is certainly a wonderful thing, but despite City having dominance over United in recent times, winning the battle to sign Mangala seems to be one thing the blue side of Manchester have not prevailed in.

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