Manchester City defender could have found a new basketball calling as he shoots improbable hoop

ELIAQUIM MANGALA is reportedly not in Pep Guardiola’s plans at Manchester City – but he could find another calling as a basketball player.

The French defender has not seen much action this summer, playing just 18 minutes for his country at Euro 2016, and has not yet linked up with City‘s squad in China.

Instead he has been larking about with pals in South Beach, Miami where he took on a basket from the other end of a swimming pool.

It went straight in, prompting Mangala to celebrate as if he’d scored in the Premier League while his mates applauded.

But it has not been a similarly easy ride for Mangala in English football since arriving from Porto two years ago, with mistakes littering his game.

Manuel Pellegrini brought Mangala to the Etihad with the hope of establishing a No1 central partnership with Vincent Kompany at the heart of the Citizens’ defence.

However, he struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League and often found himself rotated with fellow summer signing Martin Demichelis.

And despite him being the most expensive defender in British history when he signed for £42million, reports this summer say he is not part of Guardiola‘s plans who is trying to flog him back to his old club for a cut-price fee.

Guardiola is currently in China with his new charges, but lost his first game in charge to his old club Bayern Munich in a friendly.

The Spanish manager is without a number of players including Mangala, Kevin de Bruyne, Raheem Sterling and Bacary Sagna and fielded a youthful side.

Vincent Kompany  was an unused substitute for City after recovering from the thigh surgery which kept him out of Belgium’s Euro 2016 team.

City are still to meet bitter rivals Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal in pre-season before they get their Premier League campaign at home to Sunderland on August 13.