Manuel Pellegrini explains Alvaro Negredo departure

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 12 September 2014

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini reveals that striker Alvaro Negredo needed to be sold to Valencia to fulfil their financial restrictions.

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has revealed that a number of factors contributed to the sale of Alvaro Negredo to Valencia.

The striker has returned to Spain after City allowed him to join the La Liga outfit after just one season at the Etihad Stadium, and Pellegrini has indicated that their FFP and Champions League restrictions resulted in it suiting both parties for Negredo to leave the club.

The 60-year-old told reporters: "The decision for Negredo to go was very important. We have a restriction on the players that we can use in the Champions League.

"Alvaro Negredo was injured. He wasn't going to be on the list. He wanted to go back to Spain. It all starts from the restrictions due to the money we spent."

City have just Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko fit for Saturday's match at Arsenal after Stevan Jovetic suffered a hamstring injury while on international duty with Montenegro.