Man City turn to Martin Demichelis after Vincent Kompany injury blow
MANCHESTER CITY will step up their efforts to sign Martin Demichelis amid fears their injured captain Vincent Kompany could be out for a month. City were looking for defensive reinforcements even before Kompany limped off with a groin injury in Monday’s 4-0 win over Newcastle.
Micah Richards is already out for a month with a hamstring injury while Matija Nastastic returned to training this week after a month out with an ankle injury.
With Kolo Toure joining Liverpool in the summer as a free agent, it means boss Manuel Pellegrini may be forced to use Spain midfielder Javi Garcia to
partner Joleon Lescott in the centre of defence at Cardiff on Saturday if Nastastic is not deemed match fit.
The scan on Kompany’s groin proved inconclusive yesterday. Apart from the Cardiff match he is even struggling to be fit for the home clash with Hull before
the two-week international break.
Real Madrid’s Portugal international Pepe remains Pellegrini’s first-choice target. After losing his place last season to France youngster Raphael Varane, Pepe’s representatives have been asking new manager
Carlo Ancelotti if the player will figure in his plans this season.
So far, though, Ancelotti is adamant he wants to keep Pepe. A £30million valuation is way beyond the figure City are looking to pay.
Pellegrini has switched his sights to Demichelis, a player he knows well from his spell as Malaga boss.
Argentina international Demichelis, 32, joined Atletico Madrid on a free from Malaga earlier this season but is keen to be reunited with Pellegrini at City,
especially with the offer of a lucrative two-year contract.
Providing they can line up a replacement before the deadline, Atletico are understood to be happy to make a quick profit on a player they signed for nothing –
with City willing to pay about £2m.
http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/423771/Man-City-turn-to-Martin-Demichelis-after-Vincent-Kompany-injury-blow [ 此帖被羅力亞在2013-08-23 12:48重新編輯 ]