Pellegrini: Mangala stay all part of the plan

News
By published

Valencia wanted Eliaquim Mangala on loan before selling Nicolas Otamendi to Manchester City.

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini said he had no intentions of selling centre-back Eliaquim Mangala.

City completed the big-money signing of Argentina international Nicolas Otamendi from Valencia, though Mangala was linked with a move in the opposite direction on loan.

Otamendi's arrival further increases the competition for places at City, with Mangala, Vincent Kompany and Martin Demichelis already vying for the centre-back role.

But Pellegrini said while France international Mangala's departure loomed as an option, he was swayed to keep the 24-year-old.

"There was a lot of talk of different options, the option that we wanted was to bring Otamendi here," Pellegrini told reporters.

"That conversation may have had lots of options but finally I decided that Mangala must stay here with Otamendi."

Mangala and captain Kompany will continue their defensive pairing for City's trip to Everton on Sunday.