Demichelis played under Manuel Pellegrini at Malaga – now the Chilean wants him as a back up should Pepe fail to move.
Reports emerging from Spanish radio station Cadena SER suggest that Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini is after his former Malaga centre-back Martin Demichelis, just one month after he signed for Atletico Madrid.
The Express claim that City’s Director of Football Txiki Begiristain has flown out to Madrid with the sole intention of prising Demichelis away from his new club as Pellegrini is no longer so confident in landing Real Madrid centre-back Pepe.
Madrid are said to be willing to part with Pepe, but only for the sum of £30m – an awful lot for a 30-year-old defender who found himself ousted from the first team at times last season.
Pepe featured 28 times in the league for Real Madrid last season and, with the arrival of natural right-back Dani Carvajal and the scintillating rise of young Raphael Varane, Pepe may find himself with even less playing time at the Bernabeu next season should vice-captain Sergio Ramos move into the centre of defence.
Whilst Vincent Kompany and Matija Nastasic proved the most formidable defensive partnership in the Premier League last season at Manchester City, Nastasic will miss the first month of the season with an ankle injury. This leaves City thin on the ground for substitutes at centre-back, with Joleon Lescott the sole natural replacement.
Micah Richards is also capable of filling in in the middle, but with his ability in the full-back position and his lack of match fitness, it is easy to understand why Pellegrini is looking for more experience to stabilise the heart of City’s defence.
COMMENTS