Valencia defender Nicolas Otamendi has reached a personal agreement with Manchester United, according to a report from Argentine newspaper Olé.
Otamendi has been a long-term target for United and scouts have been on numerous scouting trips to watch him in action, and it seems as if manager Louis van Gaal’s is finally acting on his interest.
However, Valencia and United must now wrap up a deal over the transfer fee, with a reported buyout clause of £37 million in Otamendi’s contract. The Argentine international would be likely to link up with Louis van Gaal’s squad after the Copa America this summer, if a deal is agreed.
The 27-year old centre-back, formerly of Velez Sarsfield and Porto, has had a stellar debut season in Spain with Los Che, becoming an integral part of manager Nuno’s side and forming one of La Liga’s most reliable defensive partnerships alongside Shkodran Mustafi.
Otamendi would join the growing Argentine contingent at United, with fellow centre-back Marcos Rojo and Angel Di Maria currently at the club, if a deal can be thrashed out between Valencia and United, but reports in Spain are not convinced that Otamendi will join United this summer.
Super Deporte reports that Otamendi and his agents have indicated that they are happy to stay at the Mestalla, and that the only way that United will be able to sign the player is if they meet the buyout clause, which they reportedly did not meet when they bid for Otamendi in January.
With Mats Hummels seemingly committing his future to Dortmund, according to reports in Germany, Otamendi would certainly be a good alternative, and strengthen United’s defence to no end.
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