Why New Manchester City Deal for Defender Martin Demichelis Makes Sense

Martin Demichelis has signed a new one-year contract extension at Manchester City, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2016, as reported by the club’s official website.

It’s a fitting reward for a player who has become a vital part of Manuel Pellegrini’s side, despite a somewhat shaky start to his career at the Etihad.

Demichelis said:

"

I want to say that I am really proud and happy to have extended my contract for another year.

Manchester City is a Club with a lot of ambition. We want to grow every year.

When you get to hold a trophy, it’s the best feeling for any player.

I want to say that I will fight for this Club and for my teammates until the end of my contract. I will fight to try and win titles.

"

He arrived in the summer of 2013 from Atletico Madrid for £3.5 million but struggled to settle initially after an injury in one of his very first training sessions delayed his introduction to the side.

When he did eventually make his debut, at Stamford Bridge in late October of that season, he looked well short of match sharpness and the pace of the Premier League appeared too much for him.

He was criticised heavily, but Pellegrini, who had worked with the defender at Malaga, remained stoic in his belief Demichelis was the right defender for City.

However, two catastrophic moments—a red card against Barcelona and a rash challenge to give away a penalty against Wigan Athletic in an FA Cup quarter-final defeat—saw the criticism turn vitriolic, with Demichelis hammered by the press and his own fans. It was a situation which at one stage looked like becoming toxic, but Demichelis changed the tide of opinion with a series of outstanding displays.

The turning point came in a wonderful win away at Hull City. With Vincent Kompany red carded early in the game and City’s season looking like unravelling, Demichelis emerged as a leader in the Belgian’s absence, coordinating the offside trap with military precision and looking classy throughout.

Since then, the turnaround has been remarkable. Rarely has a player gone from being pilloried to the extent he was and become a cult hero in the space of 12 months.

He was a vital part of City’s title win in May, went on to lead Argentina to the World Cup final in Brazil this summer and has this season been far and away City’s finest defender.

His new one-year deal makes perfect sense for City. Not only is he a wonderful defender, he is a leader on the field and a great example to the club’s younger players off it. A hugely experienced player, having spent over seven years at Bayern Munich as well as two years in La Liga, those around him will surely benefit from him being around for an extra year.

His story also demonstrates the strength of his character. Lesser players would have wilted under the pressure which, at times, was severe. It says a great deal about Demichelis that he was able to turn his form around so sharply.

It’s fair to say that, at £3.5 million, he represents one of the finest pound-for-pound signings in recent Premier League history—certainly the best addition to City’s squad during Pellegrini’s time in charge.

There’s been little for City fans to cheer in the last few weeks given their team’s form on the pitch, but this news is a huge boost ahead of a vital week which sees City travel to Burnley on Saturday before taking on Barcelona in the Camp Nou in their vital Champions League last-16 second-leg match.

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2014-15 season. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter: @RobPollard.