Eliaquim Mangala is British football's most expensive defender but Manchester City defender Martin Demichelis says he still has a lot to learn. The Argentinian defender as fought off Managala to keep his position as first-choice defensive partner to City skipper Vincent Kompany. City paid Porto £40million for France international Mangala last season.
Demichelis says Mangala is experiencing similar problems to those he had when he moved from River Plate to Bayern Munich at a young age.
He told the Manchester Evening News: "Manga is the same age as I was when I went to Bayern from Argentina. He is helped by the fact he has tremendous physical condition but obviously he has things to learn.
He is a very good guy and keen to improve, and I think he will become a very good player."
Despite being City's oldest player Demichellis states he also one of the fittest:"I don't want to be arrogant, but if you check the stats I am the [City] player with the fourth most minutes in this Premier League season. The goalkeeper [Joe Hart] always has the most and then comes Yaya Toure, Gael Clichy and after that Demichelis. That shows I am a professional player and that I try to keep injury-free.
"It is almost impossible to play twice in two days but I did it this season, playing on Boxing Day and then on December 28 and again on January 1.
"Don't ask me why, whether it was because other players are injured, or because I was lucky, but I played those games in a row."