Man City Transfer News: Citizens Close In On £3.5 Million Martin Demichelis
Daily Mail. The 32-year-old played under City manager Manuel Pellegrini at Malaga and only arrived at Atletico earlier this summer. Pellegrini is keen to strengthen his central defensive options however after injuries to Vincent Kompany and Mateja Nastasic forced him into playing midfielder Javi Garcia as a centre-half in the 3-2 defeat to Cardiff City last weekend. That defeat, along with the 3-1 loss to Arsenal in pre-season, has made the Chilean realise he needs defensive reinforcements. Demichelis signed for Atletico on a free transfer and would be expected to compete with Kompany and Nastasic at the Etihad after their understudies, Garcia and Joleon Lescott, proved to be below-par. After starting the season brightly with a resounding 4-0 battering of Newcastle United, City stuttered to an embarrassing 3-2 defeat to Premier League new-boys Cardiff City. And, after assembling one of the league's most expensive attack forces, by landing Alvaro Negredo, Stevan Jovetic and Jesus Navas, Pellegrini has realised his back-line isn't quite up to scratch, and has targeted Demichelis. The Argentina international was in Atletico's squad that faced Barcelona in the Supercopa last night, which Barca won for a record 11th time.