Has Nicolas Otamendi Done Enough to Justify His £28.5 Million Price Tag?

It’s been a strange debut season in English football for Nicolas Otamendi, the Manchester City defender signed from Valencia last summer for £28.5 million.

Rarely has a player veered so frantically from the sublime to the ridiculous. At his best, Otamendi looks an imposing, aggressive defender with wonderful athleticism and strength. He is capable of dominating forwards, both aerially and physically, playing on the front foot and looking to impose himself at all times.

However, too often his overexuberance has caused City problems. His tendency to go to ground in dangerous areas has left them exposed. If a forward waits for the Argentinian to commit and manages to skip past him, which has happened all too often this season, there’s a huge hole in behind that can be exploited.

It must be a serious concern to City’s leadership team, those who spend hours identifying targets they feel suit the club’s style of play. Otamendi is the latest in a long line of expensive central defenders City have shelled out for in an attempt improve their defensive options, yet they remain vulnerable at the back, even if some recent performances from Otamendi and Eliaquim Mangala have suggested there is potential in their partnership.

Otamendi needs to play in a less reckless manner, to stop diving in needlessly and spending too much time on the floor. He overcommits too often. His proactive style is effective in moderation, but sometimes he needs to think about stepping back a yard and playing a safer game.

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In fairness to him, the selection of City’s back four has been turbulent. He’s played alongside Mangala, whose struggles have continued, and Martin Demichelis, a 34-year-old who should probably have left the club last summer. Neither have inspired confidence on a regular basis.

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Alongside Vincent Kompany, Otamendi has looked excellent. Against Manchester United and Norwich City back in October they played alongside one another, and most felt they had the makings of an effective partnership. Otamendi was the man of the match against United and scored a bullet header against Norwich. It appeared, after some understandable early troubles, he was settling and finding his feet in the Premier League.

But Kompany’s calf issues mean he is no longer a player City can rely upon to play regularly, and he and Otamendi haven’t had the opportunity to cement their partnership. Otamendi, the one real constant in the back four, has had to adjust to ever-changing surroundings, which, in a new league that is quick and unforgiving, isn’t easy to manage.

The question every City player will be asking themselves between now and the end of the season is: Have I done enough to justify being part of the Pep Guardiola era?

The answer for Otamendi is probably yes, but there is plenty of work for him to do to flourish under the Spaniard’s guidance. Guardiola has a history of improving players, of finding that extra level and developing the games of those he works with.

Pre-season is likely to intense, both in terms of fitness and tactical fine-tuning, and Otamendi, like the rest of the squad, will need to buy into his methods immediately to stand any chance of being part of what looks likely to be an excitement period in the club’s history.

So far, Otamendi hasn’t justified his price tag. Next season will be crucial in determining whether he can go on and fulfil his undoubted potential.

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2015/16 season. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @RobPollard.