Manchester City and Manchester Unitedtd set for head-to-head transfer battle over £35m Argentine defender

Valencia’s Nicolas Otamendi is set to choose between Manchester City and Manchester United this summer.

According to AS [via the Express], the Argentina international’s representative Eugenio Lopez has flown out to Porto to meet with super-agent Jorge Mendez – who has been called upon to quickly seal the centre-back’s Mestalla Stadium exit.

The report states that while the Red Devils have been heavily linked with his signature this summer, the defender is attracting interest from the Premier League giants’ noisy neighbours – and therefore has the task of deciding between City and United over where he wishes his future to lie.

It was claimed yesterday [via Marca] that the 27-year-old will refuse to return to Valencia this summer, and is therefore desperate to have his transfer completed before training resumes on July 27th [via The Independent].

However, it may be his price tag that is proving to be a stumbling block.

Otamendi has a release-clause of £35m and Los Che are adamant that this price must be met before the club give the green light on his desired departure, the Express claim.

The Red Devils are currently linked with two centre-backs – Otamendi and Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos [via the Mirror] – a suggestion that Louis van Gaal isn’t satisfied with his current back-line, with right-back Matteo Darmian having also arrived at the club [via manutd.com].

Meanwhile, the Sky Blues – besides the £49m signing of Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling [via BBC Sport] – have been fairly quiet in the summer window.

Nonetheless, the form of captain Vincent Kompany – whose performances were the subject of criticism last season [via The Guardian] – may have left Manuel Pellegrini feeling that a new centre-back could be a necessary addition ahead of the 2015-16 campaign.

The Citizens have one of the finest attacking forces, led by Sergio Aguero, in England; however, their susceptibility in defence – highlighted in their poor run of form following the festive period – signified just how superior Chelsea’s squad was as they went on to lift the Premier League title with ease.