3 players who may leave Manchester City in the January transfer window

#2 Nicolas Otamendi

Manchester United v Manchester City - Carabao Cup: Semi-Final

Nicolas Otamendi joined Manchester City from Valencia in the summer of 2015 and was brought in to ease the pressure on the aging Vincent Kompany. Otamendi has been used extensively by both Manuel Pellegrini and Pep Guardiola during his time at the club.

However, with Fernandinho regularly playing as a center-back and Aymeric Laporte and John Stones also vying for places in Manchester City's defense, the 31-year-old Otamendi's chances of regular playing time in the long term seem considerably bleak.

The Argentine defender's contract was set to expire in 2020, but an extension was signed to keep him at the club till 2022. While Otamendi still puts in decent performances, there are question marks over whether the occasionally error-prone defender warrants a place in the first team ahead of his talented colleagues.

Guardiola's propensity for youth talent is well documented, and Eric Garcia's promotion to the team from Manchester City's youth setup may result in a sharp decline in Otamendi's playing time. The former Valencia defender does have a few years ahead of him, and a few Premier League clubs were interested in his signature in the summer of 2019.

While there have been no concrete rumors regarding Otamendi's departure from the club, a move away cannot be ruled out and may prove to benefit both parties.