Malaga have revealed that incoming Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini is free to leave the Spanish club.
According to local reports, the Chilean has agreed a two-year deal at the Etihad to replace Roberto Mancini, who was sacked on Monday night.
Sportsmail exclusively revealed that City would formally approach Pellegrini, although the Malaga boss was not the only manager considered to take over from Mancini.
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Chosen one: Manuel Pellegrini has 'agreed a two-year deal' after they decided to go for the Malaga boss over another leading European figure. Jose Mourinho was NOT the other
Final farewell: Roberto Mancini, pictured in London yesterday, was sacked after ending the season trophyless
What does 'holistic' mean? One other top European coach featured on the Etihad regime’s wanted list, but City have decided on 59-year-old Pellegrini.
Sportsmail has learnt that the unnamed manager was not Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho as City’s sporting director Txiki Begiristain scoured Europe after a disappointing – but hardly disastrous – season for Mancini.
Mancini’s reign as City manager ended in brutal fashion as he was labelled a failure and sacked a year to the day after he won the Barclays Premier League title.
The Italian, who is expected to net a£7million pay-off, was told he was no longer wanted just hours after taking training for City’s match at Reading on Tuesday, which they won 2-0.
City, whose statement bizarrely addressed the need for the club to develop a ‘holistic approach’, have put Brian Kidd in charge for the last two games of the season.
Mancini, who was pictured leaving a London hotel on Tuesday morning following the news, is believed to have been told by chief executive Ferran Soriano on Monday night that he was being sacked. Mancini then took a call from chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak, who is in Abu Dhabi.
Pellegrini, 59, has verbally agreed to take over at City and that could be close after Malaga's announcement and those reports in Chile. But he is also being monitored by Barcelona amid concerns over the ability of Tito Vilanova, who has undergone treatment for cancer, to continue as coach at the Nou Camp.
The last walk: Mancini walks to collect his runners-up medal after the FA Cup final defeat to Wigan
Not enough: Mancini won the Premier League and FA Cup in his time at City, but has been sacked
MANCINI'S RECORDPremier League: 133 games, 82 wins, 27 draws, 24 losses. Win percentage: 61.7 per cent.
FA Cup: 19 games, 13 wins, three draws, three losses. Win percentage: 68 per cent
League Cup: Nine games, four wins, one draw, four losses. Win percentage: 44.4 per cent.
Champions League: 12 games, three wins, four draws, five losses.Win percentage: 25 per cent.
Europa League: 16 games, 10 wins, three draws, three losses.Win percentage: 62.5 per cent.
Community Shield: Two games, one win, one loss. Win percentage: 50 per cent.
Overall: 191 games, 113 wins, 38 draws, 40 losses.Win percentage: 59.2 per cent. After City lost the FA Cup final to Wigan on Saturday, the board decided to bring the curtain down on Mancini’s time as quickly as possible to avoid the bad publicity that would have followed if he had stood on the touchline at Reading when people knew he was finished.
The statement on City’s website did not spare the feelings of a man who had delivered the club's first league title in 44 years. It read: ‘Despite everyone’s best efforts, the club has failed to achieve any of its stated targets this year, with the exception of qualification for next season’s Champions League.
‘This, combined with an identified need to develop a holistic approach to all aspects of football at the club, has meant that the decision has been taken to find a new manager.
‘This has been a difficult decision for the owner, chairman and board to make and it is the outcome of a planned end-of-season review process that has been brought forward in light of recent speculation and out of respect for Roberto and his extensive contributions to the football club.’
Bizarrely, City chairman Al Mubarak added: ‘Roberto’s record speaks for itself and he has the respect and gratitude of Sheik Mansour, myself and the board for all his hard work and commitment over the last three-and-a-half years.
‘He has clearly also secured the love and respect of our fans. He has done as he promised and delivered silverware and success, breaking the club’s 35-year trophy drought and securing the title in 2012.
‘I would like to thank him personally and publicly for his dedication to the progress he has overseen and of his support and continued friendship.’
Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2324838/Manuel-Pellegrini-agrees-year-deal-Manchester-City-Malaga-reveal-coach-free-leave.html#ixzz2TNhsrHHb
