Manchester United Transfer News: Nicolas Otamendi Agent Fuels Red Devils Rumours

Nicolas Otamendi’s agent has confirmed the defender wants to leave Valencia, fuelling further rumours of a move to Manchester United.

The Argentina international has reportedly already agreed personal terms with United, per Jamie Sanderson of the Metro, as he targets a summer transfer.

His representative Eugenio Lopez has now stated that Otamendi will push for a transfer away from Valencia. Lopez told Radio Valencia Cadena Ser (h/t Sky Sports):

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Nico wants to leave Valencia and is going to do everything possible to achieve it. Nicolas told [executive president] Amadeo Salvo to his face two months ago, it surprises me that it is said that [sporting director] Rufete knew nothing. Or he lied or there is a lack of communication. In these cases the will of the player is very important.

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Otamendi only moved to Valencia last summer from Porto, but he has enjoyed an excellent debut season at the Mestalla as you can see in the video below:

The centre-half has scored six goals in 35 appearances in La Liga, per WhoScored.com, to help Valencia to a fourth-place finish in the table and qualify for the Champions League play-offs.

His performances for Valencia have been widely praised, and he made Guillem Balague’s La Liga Team of the Season for Sky Sports. Balague wrote:

"

Valencia’s improvement and challenge for Champions League qualification is due in no small part to the efforts of this excellent central defender, who in addition to great defence has a habit of weighing in with important goals, namely the winner to end Real Madrid’s 22-match unbeaten run. On the radar of a host of top clubs.

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Otamendi is unlikely to come cheap for United, with a release clause of €50 million (£36 million), per Spanish newspaper AS (via Sky Sports).

United have stepped up their interest in Otamendi after, per the Daily Mail, seeing a move for Borussia Dortmund centre-half Mats Hummels stall, reports Samuel Stevens of the Independent.

Michael Probst/Associated Press

Louis van Gaal, who led United to fourth place in his first season as manager, has targeted a defensive midfielder as his priority signing over the summer, per Rob Dawson of the Manchester Evening News.

However, Dawson also writes that Van Gaal is expected to sign a centre-back, making Otamendi an obvious target.

Defence has been an area of concern for United all season, and it’s no surprise that Van Gaal wants to strengthen this area of the pitch.

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Injuries to the likes of Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo have prevented Van Gaal from being able to pick a consistent centre-half pairing throughout the season.

Otamendi’s 35 appearances in La Liga show that his fitness can be relied upon, which has to be a key consideration for any prospective United signings this summer.

He has also shown a high level of form against quality strikers and has the characteristics to be a success at Old Trafford, even if his price tag is expensive.