Otamendi

[Alex - Not City Matters]

Agree that he'd make a good partner with Vinnie; very athletic but more cultured than Mangala. He'd probably make a great partner with Mangala too.

 

[2sheikhs]

The rags are a 3rd tier club like valencia, so it'd be a sideways move. We're 2nd tier, so it's an upwards move.
Agents talk to each other and see how the land lies. If the agent mentions to a player that City and utd are interested, he'd only choose the rags if he KNEW that he was guaranteed first choice as opposed to a squad player.
If we had targeted Schnideling, he'd be here. A former french international explained it all.
If he leaves (and all signs point to him doing so), then it says he's joining us as a starter.

 

[domalino]

Management have decided Mangala needs a breather from the Premier League to avoid killing his career, so he will go to Valencia on loan to rebuild confidence in a competitive side.
Otamendi just about the best CB out there that is 'gettable' and despite a taste for last ditch heroics which could make him a red card liability, with good instruction can provide perfect partner for VK. MDM is in his last year before returning to Argentina, and is a golden cover CB, Denayer will learn from the best, and be ready to step in where necessary and challenge for a first team pot from next season.
Great deal if it happens ;-)

You'd think he'd be a red card liability but he's only got one straight red and one yellow/red in his entire career.

 

[Phil1]

I suspect he is rag bound

Why?

 

[MasterOfKnees]

Agree that he'd make a good partner with Vinnie; very athletic but more cultured than Mangala. He'd probably make a great partner with Mangala too.

I could be wrong but didn't Otamendi and Mangala play together at Porto?

 

[aguero93:20]

I could be wrong but didn't Otamendi and Mangala play together at Porto?

They did. Mangala was by far the better defender.

 

[Falcao]

Pretty sure United aren't in for him. LVG prefers a ball playing CB which isn't really Otamendi.

Looks set for City. But Mangala going on loan the other way at age 24 doesn't sound good, he's no rookie.

 

[domalino]

I could be wrong but didn't Otamendi and Mangala play together at Porto?

Yes. In 11/12, 12/13 and 13/14.

 

[IM NOT REALLY HERE]

1/5 to join us in sky bet.
6/1 he joins the rags.

 

[kaz7]

Why?

They need defenders and are prepared to chuck silly money to get them

I would like him here and can see why we would be interested as vinny will probably have a couple of months out again and demi is in his last year

It's more of a feeling he is rag bound but would love to be wrong so long as we are not dumping mangala as he can only get better having had a pre-season this year

 

[BlueDejong]

I think that it is real.

 

[andyhinch]

Pretty sure United aren't in for him. LVG prefers a CB that can just hoof the ball which isn't really Otamendi.

Looks set for City. But Mangala going on loan the other way at age 24 doesn't sound good, he's no rookie.

That needed an edit.

 

[We'reNotReallyHere]

I would love this to come off, if not for the sole reason of pissing United fans off.

 

[domalino]

They did. Mangala was by far the better defender.

People say this but I wonder how much you actually watched them?

Also since Otamendi has since gone on to be recognised as an incredible CB and put in MOTM performances shutting out Messi and Real Madrid while Manga has struggled, perhaps it was Otamendi who made Mangala look good by mopping up all his mistakes.

Not to mention Mangala was 21/22 - so there was a lot of hype just because of his young age.

 

[Seosa]

Think how much Denayer will benefit playing & training with Vinnie, Otamendi & Martin. The club may well have long-term plans for Mangala still, but in the meantime we may be about to sign a genuinely top class centre-back. Let's enjoy what's to come.

 

[Phil1]

Pretty sure United aren't in for him. LVG prefers a ball playing CB which isn't really Otamendi.

Then how the fuck is Mike smalling getting games?

 

[Alex - Not City Matters]

They did. Mangala was by far the better defender.

However it would be fair to say that Otamendi has matured/developed a lot in the last year.

 

[ankitptrivedi]

 

[aguero93:20]

People say this but I wonder how much you actually watched them?

Plenty.

 

[.A.]

The closest thing to Cannavaro I've seen.

It is conceivable that this time next summer we will have realised that none of our current 4 central defenders are good enough for an elite club; Demichelis will be closer to 40 than 30, Kompany can't afford another mediocre season, Mangala is seemingly too chaotic to be relied on, and Denayer has never had to defend against quality opposition regularly, so it could be that he isn't quite up to it and he may prove to be a better right back/midfielder anchor.

If we can get this fella for £10-£15m with the rest of his value neutralised by the money owed on Negredo, we should because as it stands we lack a player who loves the simple art of defending, ala Terry and Vidic.

If we sort the defence out, we win the title back, and probably advance Europe; the fact Joe Hart has consistently been our MOTM in the Champions League over the past 4 years shows that we have just simply aren't good enough at the back.

Even VK at his peak cost us games at that level; ducking under Ronaldo's last minute shot against Real away, then losing Messi so Demichelis had to bring him down against Barca at home in 2013/14 prove that he isn't quite top draw. Looking at Pique against us last year, widely regarded as overrated defensively, yet he looked a class above Kompany in every regard.

We need something different moving forward, and Otamendi would be a good place to start.