Manuel Pellegrini denies Manchester City deal

London: Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini has denied he has spoken with Premier League club Manchester City over the possibility of replacing Roberto Mancini whose future as the club’s manager is under threat after Saturday’s FA Cup final defeat.

Widespread media reports in Britain suggest City will part company with Mancini, who has been in charge since 2009 and who won the Premier League title last season.

City have fuelled the intense speculation about Mancini’s future by remaining silent over the rumours, but Pellegrini has moved to distance himself from reports suggesting he was on the verge of replacing the Italian.

“I categorically deny that I am the new Manchester City coach, nothing has been signed and no agreement reached,” he said on Malaga’s website following their 0-0 draw with Sevilla.

“I’ve been fortunate enough, and very proud, that every year the big clubs are interested in me.

“I have an agreement with Malaga not to talk to anyone and nothing has been agreed with any other outfit.

“I hope the future of this club will become somewhat clearer in the next few days.”

Manchester City, beaten 1-0 by Wigan Athletic in Saturday’s FA Cup final, have two Premier League games remaining this season starting with relegated Reading on Tuesday.

They require one point to guarantee runners-up spot from runaway champions Manchester United.

However, City’s failure to win a trophy this season, and their dismal flop in the Champions League for the second successive year, has put him under the spotlight.

Mancini has cut a disgruntled figure as speculation about his job mounted and appeared to criticise the club’s owners after the Wigan defeat.

“I don’t know why the club didn’t stop this, because I didn’t think it was correct,” he said. “I don’t think that it’s true.”

While Mancini’s departure has yet to be confirmed, The Daily Telegraph understands that his contract will be terminated before City depart for a post-season trip to the United States next Monday and that the home game against Norwich City on May 19 will be his last - unless the club act before the Reading clash.

Mancini’s position had been in doubt for weeks following his failure to meet his two pre-season targets of winning the Premier League and progressing from the Champions League group stage.

But his prospects appeared to nosedive two weeks ago when it emerged that City’s sporting director, Txiki Begiristain, had met Pellegrini’s agent, Jesus Martinez, in Madrid.

Mancini admitted he had no idea about the reasons for the meeting and conceded that City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak had given no assurances over his future.

Mancini’s hopes of seeing out the remaining four years of his £7.5 million-a-year (Dh42.3 million) contract are over, however, with the only issue now the timing of his dismissal.

Pablo Zabaleta, the Argentinian defender who was sent off against Wigan at Wembley, hinted at the absence of support for Mancini within the dressing room by insisting that the manager’s future now lay in the hands of the Abu Dhabi hierarchy and chief executive Ferran Soriano.

“It’s not our decision,” Zabaleta said. “As players, we need to be focused on what we do now and we will see what happens with Roberto in the future.

“We have got two games left and we will see the chairman and sporting director and all the people who have to think about this. If they make some changes, I don’t know. We need to let them deal with this.”

As in previous seasons, City had been planning to resolve Mancini’s future with a post-season debriefing in Abu Dhabi.

Mancini’s deteriorating relationship has also contributed to the club’s belief that a change is required. However, with doubts over Mancini’s position intensifying following the Cup final, a swift resolution to the situation is anticipated this week, possibly today. Mancini appeared in no mood to resign, though, when asked about his position.

“I don’t need to talk about my future,” Mancini said. “I have a four-year contract. Every contract can be broken, but I don’t think the board need to talk about me.

“I was sacked after seven trophies with Inter after we won three championships and we went to the cup final. But in this case I don’t think I should worry. But this is not for me, it’s for the club.”