The Nicolás Otamendi transfer saga is not going anywhere and reports in Spain have now stated that Real Madrid have pulled out of the running for the Valencia centre-back in knowledge that a deal with Manchester United is already done and dusted. With Sergio Ramos potentially on his way out of the Bernabéu also, Rafael Benitez has set his sights on another Argentine, Zenit St Petersburg’s Ezequiel Garay.

According to Spanish newspaper AS, Real Madrid are no longer even considering Valencia’s Nicolás Otamendi after the player has made it clear that he wishes to join Manchester United and all that is left is for the Premier League club to reach an agreement with Valencia. Negotiations are ongoing after United had already seen an earlier bid rejected but the Spanish club have made it clear that once Otamendi’s release clause of €50 million (£35 million) is met the 27-year-old will be free to leave.

Somewhat ambitiously it has also been reported that Louis van Gaal wishes to capture Otamendi and Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos to build a formidable, new-look backline. Madrid are considering their own targets in this event and after ruling themselves out for Otamendi are now looking at his Argentina central defensive partner, Ezequiel Garay.

Garay was actually at Madrid between 2008 and 2011 after impressing with Racing Santander but failed to establish himself before being sold to Benfica. In Portugal, Garay reemerged as a formidable defender and was linked on numerous occasions with Manchester United and Bayern Munich before leaving one year ago in a €15 million deal to Zenit St Petersburg.

After winning the Russian league title and helping Argentina to the Copa América final this summer, Garay might be on the move again. He will certainly be a cheaper option than teammate Otamendi and perhaps should be playing in one of Europe’s top leagues.