Manchester City are closing on a deal for Nicolás Otamendi and the defender has been left out of Valencia’s preparations for Wednesday’s Champions League play-off against Monaco.

Nuno Espírito Santo, the Valencia coach, said: “Once everything is resolved, we will make decisions and the club will announce everything. For a few days now we have prepared without the option of using Otamendi. This game is crucial for us.”

Negotiations are continuing for the 27-year-old, who will cost in the region of £34m. Otamendi has yet to take a medical but his agent, Jorge Mendes, was in Manchester on Tuesday.

Should the Argentinian arrive he will provide competition for Eliaquim Mangala and would be City’s fourth major signing of the summer after Raheem Sterling, Fabian Delph and Patrick Roberts. City are also hopeful of securing Wolfsburg’s Kevin De Bruyne.

Otamendi joined Valencia last summer from Porto and scored six goals in 25 league appearances to help them finish fourth. The centre-half has 25 caps and was in the Argentina side who lost the Copa América final to Chile on penalties.

Valencia have made Otamendi available because they owe most of the €30m (£21.3m) fee they were supposed to pay City for Álvaro Negredo. They are hoping to return to the Champions League group stages after a two-year absence.