Nicolas Otamendi to Manchester City: Eliaquim Mangala will not join Valencia on loan as Alvaro Negredo deal complicates move for Otamendi

Valencia still owe City a large portion of the £23.8m they are due to pay for the striker and have offered Otamendi to try and avoid paying the fee

Nicolas Otamendi (GETTY IMAGES)

Manchester City are closing in on Valencia defender Nicolas Otamendi after the centre-back flew to Manchester Airport to discuss details over a potential £28.5m transfer.

City’s fierce rivals Manchester United had been strongly linked with a move for Otamendi should their pursuit of Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos end in failure. With the news confirmed on Monday that Ramos had indeed signed a new five-year contract with Real to end any prospect of a Premier League move, United appear content to make do with their current options, and have opened the door for City to complete a deal.

However, the deal to take the Argentinian to the Etihad Stadium has grown complicated due to a number of factors, involving both former City striker Alvaro Negredo and current defender Eliaquim Mangala.

According to the Express, Valencia still owe City most of the £23.8m that they are obliged to pay for Negredo after taking him on loan last season with a permanent move agreed for this summer. Valencia’s financial struggles have been well documented in recent years, and the La Liga club have instead offered up 27-year-old Otamendi to try and avoid the payment while also asking for France defender Eliaquim Mangala on a season-long loan.

City manager Manuel Pellegrini is reluctant to let Mangala leave though, especially after his two promising performances against West Brom and Chelsea this season that suggests he could be set for a much better year than his debut campaign produced following his £42.5m transfer last summer.

Valencia still owe City money for Negredo (EPA)

It’s added that City would prefer to receive the money to help aid their move for Wolfsburg midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, but a move for Otamendi remains firmly on and a medical could even go through this week. Securing the Argentinian’s signature would suggest that Pellegrini is still concerned with his defence despite the club yet to concede a goal after two Premier League matches.

Mangala has started the season alongside captain Vincent Kompany – who already has two goals to his name – while the Chilean manager also has Martin Demichelis and youngster Jason Denayer available, though Demichelis was deployed in a holding midfield role when he was introduced during the 3-0 victory over Chelsea last weekend and could be shifted forward to address concerns over Yaya Toure fading during important matches.