City's Otamendi wants Valencia return

Cape Town - Manchester City defender Nicolas Otamendi is pushing for a return to Valencia ahead of the new campaign, according to reports in Spain.

The Argentine defender was expected to leave in the off-season after falling down the pecking order last season behind Vincent Kompany, Aymeric Laporte and John Stones.

However, with Kompany's departure confirmed earlier in the summer, it was thought to have changed the dynamic at the Etihad, with the 31-year-old set to rotate with Laporte and Stones.

However, fresh reports have now indicated Otamendi still has his heart set on leaving and Valencia is his preferred destination.

City have been linked with other centre-backs in this transfer window, most notably Leicester and England man Harry Maguire, which may prove to be the catalyst for a move.

The report suggests Otamendi always expected to return to the Mestalla when he left in 2015 and an offer is currently 'on the table'.

Arsenal, PSG and Atletico Madrid have also expressed an interest, according to the report, but Otamendi will not consider those offers.