Manchester City’s impending capture of Nicolas Otamendi is no surprise. The Argentine defender simply looked too good for his current club Valencia during an outstanding debut campaign in La Liga last season.
Valencia fans might well be upset by that statement, but it is a realistic reflection of Los Che’s status as a club on the rise but still below the elite. Even though they have returned to the Champions League, taking on Monaco in a qualifying round first leg tonight, Valencia remain the kind of club who will struggle to keep hold of truly world-class talent.
That has happened many times in the past, with David Silva, David Villa and Jordi Alba all providing recent examples of players who made their names at Mestalla before going on to achieve bigger things elsewhere.
And now Otamendi is set to become the latest high-profile departure, having finally started to fulfil his potential following last summer’s move from Porto.
Manchester City fans who are wondering what they are getting will discover in Otamendi an old-fashioned ‘stopper’ centre half: a physically imposing performer who is fearlessly brave, never shirks away from a challenge and is particularly dominant in the air.
And although he can play a bit, with a decent range of passing for a centre back, there’s no doubt that Otamendi is first and foremost a defender – a man who provides an added element of steel rather than silk. Indeed, that may be an explanation for City’s willingness to pay such a high price for the Argentine international. Manuel Pellegrini’s men were a soft touch too often last season, looking vulnerable defensively – with Otamendi in the line-up, that should no longer be the case.
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Another major attribute demonstrated by Otamendi in La Liga is his ability to rise to the challenge against the most talented opponents. He was outstanding in Valencia’s highly unfortunate 1-0 home defeat against Barcelona last November, making one particularly memorable challenge on Lionel Messi to deny his international compatriot a near-certain goal.
He then went one better against Real Madrid at Mestalla in January, snuffing out Cristiano Ronaldo with another inspirational performance and also underlining his attacking prowess from set-pieces by meeting a corner with a towering header for the winner in a rousing 2-1 victory.
Considering City’s struggles in the Champions League since their rise to the European elite, Otamendi’s proven ability to compete against the best is another important consideration behind his move to Manchester.
The arrival of the 27-year-old, who was first choice for Argentina during this summer’s Copa America, certainly leaves City with an embarrassment of riches – especially if Vincent Kompany regains his imperious best form.
Captain Kompany and Otamendi, you would think, will be the first choice starters, but with Eliaquim Mangala starting the season in fine form and veteran Martin Demichelis offering another experienced alternative, City now could boast the strongest group of central defenders in the world.
After starting their Premier League season with a pair of 3-0 wins, including one against chief rivals Chelsea, the arrival of Otamendi will provide another reason for City fans to be cheerful.
