Valencia reject £26.7million transfer bid for Manchester United and Arsenal target Nicolas Otamendi

Spanish Club Valencia slaim that they have rejected £26.7million for Argentine defender Nicolas Otamendi.

Argentine defender Nicolas Otamendi has been playing one of the best season in Mestalla this season and has caught of top clubs around Europe. With Manchester United and Arsenal both into the market searching for a top class center back, Otamendi would be a wise choice. Valencia have £38 million release clause for the defender and have made it clear that the only way of pricing away the player is triggering the release clause.

Otamendi is having a good time defensively and has also scored against Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in the league this season. He scored the winner which ended Real Madrid’s 23 match winning run at Mestalla couple of weeks ago. Otamendi also made a brilliant slide tackle against Lionel Messi to stop his fellow countrymen from scoring.

Louis Van Gaal has been eyeing a central defender to partner with his summer signing Marcos Rojo. Van Gaal is currently with limited options in the central defense with Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans only fit senior defenders. He also has used Michael Carrick as makeshift center back while Daley Blind also has operated in that spot quite a few times. However, a top class defender is imminent for dutch manager and he would love to have Rojo’s fellow countrymen alongside.

Arsene Wenger is also in the market looking for a defender. With Mats Hummels staying at Dortmund, all eyes are on Otamendi who is said to be one of the top players in top five league at the moment. Arsenal’s Per Mertesacked is not having a good season and Laurent Koscienly is struggling with injuries. New signing Callum Chambers is also sidelined with injury and Wenger needs to make a move sooner to put his team’s defensive crisis out of the bay.