The Chilean insists his new £32 million man will have
to wait for the performances of Vincent Kompany and Eliaquim Mangala to
dip before he gets his chance
Otamendi completed a €45 million (£31.7m) move to the Etihad Stadium on Thursday and immediately insisted that he is relishing the prospect of competing with City's established centre-backs for a regular spot in Pellegrini's starting XI.
But the Chilean insists that Kompany and Mangala - who have kept back-to-back clean sheets in comprehensive victories over West Brom and Chelsea - have done nothing to merit being dropped in favour of Otamendi just yet.
"He [Otamendi] is a very good player who is improving," Pellegrini told reporters. "Last season with Valencia he made a very good season so he is improving every year, and he's a good header [of the ball] which I think is a good thing in England.
"[But] the way we are playing it's impossible to move Kompany and Mangala out of their positions. We are in a good moment, we haven't conceded a goal so we will continue to play with the same defence."
Otamendi's arrival could see fellow centre back Jason Denayer depart City on loan again - the Belgian spent last season with Celtic and Marseille are reported to be interested in acquiring his services this term.
Pellegrini added: "We'll talk with him and his agent. He improved a lot last year at Celtic, we will see now where he will go or if he stays here, we will decide that in the next couple of weeks."
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