West Ham United have been linked with Nicolas Otamendi.
According to ESPN, Manchester City defender Nicolas Otamendi is happy at the club – but is prepared to leave if the right offer comes in this summer.
City splashed out £32million to sign Otamendi from Valencia in 2015 (BBC), and he has been a key player ever since his arrival at the Etihad Stadium.
The Argentinian has racked up more than 150 appearances for City, scoring eight goals whilst winning a league title and three EFL Cups.
However, he has found first-team football harder to come by this season, starting just 14 league games whilst dropping back as fourth-choice centre back under Pep Guardiola.
That has sparked rumours about Otamendi’s future, and whilst ESPN claim that Otamendi is happy, he would be tempted to leave if the right offer comes in.
The 31-year-old has already been linked away, with Marca in Argentina claiming that West Ham United are keen, with Manuel Pellegrini seeking a reunion with the defender he signed for City.
It seems like an uphill task though. Otamendi would only leave for the right offer, and taking a drop from a title-challenging, Champions League regular to a West Ham side battling for a top 10 finish with no European football doesn’t seem likely.
His relationship with Pellegrini could come into play, but it seems that Otamendi would need something special to leave City – and sadly, West Ham having no European football may rule them out.
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