Calling him “arguably the best defender in La Liga last season”, Manuel Pellegrini and Manchester City announced the signing of Nicolas Otamendi from Valencia on Thursday morning.
The 27-year-old Argentine center back agreed to a five-year deal at the Etihad Stadium, boosting a City corps that boasts a pair of clean sheets through two weeks of the Premier League season.
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Otamendi started his career at Velez Sarsfield, which produced players like Diego Simeone and Jonas Gutierrez, before moving onto Porto and Atletico Mineiro. He’s been capped 25 times by Argentina
From mcfc.com:Otamendi said: “I am here to give my best, to fight game by game and push City to the highest peaks for as long as possible, and I wish we will be able to win several cups and titles.
“That’s the most important. To be here inside a club that looks so wonderful from the outside is a dream.”
Manager Manuel Pellegrini added: “Nicolas Otamendi was arguably the best defender in La Liga last season and so naturally I’m delighted to have added a player of his quality.
“He is an established international for one of the best nations in world football and I have no doubt that he has the right mentality to fit into a squad where he will find many familiar faces, including Eliaquim and Fernando who he played alongside in Portugal.”
The signing is a victory for Manchester City over rival United, which had been tipped as a Otamendi destination for months. The $48 million deal is also a win for Valencia. The La Liga side made approximately $35 million in profit on the defender after buying him from Porto in Feb. 2014.