Football
Jonathan Smith, Manchester City correspondent 5y

Man City's Otamendi and Danilo could leave in summer - sources

Manchester City defenders Nicolas Otamendi and Danilo could leave in the summer in search of more playing time, sources have told ESPN FC.

Otamendi, 31, signed a contract extension in January but has started fewer than half of City's Premier League and Champions League games this season, with Pep Guardiola having four top-class centre-backs to choose from.

Aymeric Laporte is a regular starter, captain Vincent Kompany has been drafted in for big games when fit and John Stones is seen as the club's long-term choice.

City could even bring in a new defender, with Matthijs de Ligt of Ajax a potential target amid Kompany's injury problems.

Otamendi is happy in Manchester but could leave if the right opportunity came up.

Meanwhile, Danilo has made 12 appearances in the Premier League and Champions League this season.

The 27-year-old was affected by an ankle injury early in the campaign but impressed over Christmas when he started six successive games, including the potentially key home victory over Liverpool.

But he has failed to dislodge Kyle Walker as Guardiola's first-choice right-back and a number of clubs, including Inter Milan, have shown interest.

Both Danilo and Otamendi were back in training on Monday, with City needing two victories from their last two matches to secure a second successive Premier League title.

Sources have told ESPN FC they are likely to be without midfielders Fernandinho and Kevin De Bruyne for those games, at home to Leicester on Monday and at Brighton on the final day of the season.

Fernandinho twisted a knee in the victory over Manchester United earlier this month, while De Bruyne injured a hamstring in the win over Spurs four days earlier.

Both face a race to be fit for the FA Cup final against Watford at Wembley on May 18.

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