Valencia drops Nicolas Otamendi from Champions League team amid transfer speculation

Nicolas Otamendi's season debut on Europe's biggest stage has been delayed after Valencia boss Nuno Espirito Santo dropped him from the team sheet ahead of Wednesday's Champions League play-off against AS Monaco.

"Once everything is resolved, we will make decisions and the club will announce everything," Santo said, according to Jamie Jackson of the Guardian. "For a few days now we have prepared for this game without the option of using Otamendi. Tomorrow's game is crucial for us."

His exclusion from the team comes on the heels of a Tuesday report claiming Valencia has accepted a bid from the Premier League side worth €45 million (£31 million).

The Guardian reports that that Otamendi has yet to undergo a medical, and his agent, Jorge Mendes, was spotted at a hotel in Manchester.

Otamendi's arrival would be City's third major signing of the summer, joining Raheem Sterling and Fabian Delph, as the club attempts to reclaim its spot atop the Premier League table following last season's runner-up performance.