Martin Demichelis
An emergency signing more than anything else, injuries to Vincent Kompany and Matija Nastasic forced Pellegrini into the market for a defender, eventually settling on Martin Demichelis from Atletico Madrid. Bizarrely, the Argentine had only left Pellegrini’s former club Malaga earlier this summer, and never played a game for Atletico before being confirmed as moving to the Etihad Stadium on transfer deadline day.
At £4m, he is a cheap and experienced option at the back for City, though it is known that he was not the club’s first target, as Pellegrini tried and failed to bring in Pepe from Real Madrid, and Eliaquim Mangala from Porto. Unfortunately, despite Demichelis arriving as cover, he himself is now out injured for six weeks, leaving the club in a difficult situation at the back.
Clearly not a top signing with much of a long-term future at the club at the age of 32, but a decent stop-gap once he gets fit. 5.5/10.