AFP/Madrid
Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini is in line to take over at Manchester City next season according to reports emerging from Spain on Friday night.
Madrid-based sports daily AS claims that City are willing to pay the $5.2 million, release clause in Pellegrini’s contract, to take him from the Spanish club.
The Chilean, who led Malaga to the quarter-finals of the Champions League in their first ever appearance in the competition this season, is thought to have been targeted by former Barcelona sporting director and now director of football at City, Txiki Begiristain.
Begiristain has been impressed with his success in that competition compared with current manager Roberto Mancini’s failure to get City beyond the group stages in the past two seasons.
Begiristain met with Pellegrini’s agent Jesus Martinez last month in Madrid and AS also claim that, should Pellegrini move to Manchester, that could clear a way for talented Malaga playmaker Isco to become City’s latest big-money signing.
Meanwhile, Mancini said: “I won seven trophies at Inter in four years and they sacked me after four years.”
The Italian oversaw last term’s Premier League success—the first time City had been crowned champions of England in 44 years.