Manchester City are looking to offload young central defender Matija Nastasic this January. The Serbian youngster last played for Manchester City in the Community Shield back in August.

Possible suitors include Schalke 04, who have been linked with the Serbian for quite some time. and are apparently willing to pay 10 million.

Matija Nastasic’s limited involvement has been one of the biggest mysteries during Manuel Pellegrini’s time at the club, with Belgian Dedryck Boyata clearly being preferred to the Serbian when a third center back is required.

Matija Nastasic’s limited involvement has been one of the biggest mysteries during Manuel Pellegrini’s time at the club

Matija Nastasic has supposedly been dealing with a string of injuries for the past few months that have kept him from the first team, but even when apparently fit he has been unable to make any impression on Pellegrini and his squad choice.

It is quite a dramatic regression for the 21 year old, who has gone from being voted Manchester City’s Young Player of the Season in 2012/13 to a state of affairs where no-one is quite sure where he even is, or if he is fit.

If he must leave, as appears to be the case, it would be far better to see him go abroad rather than play for a potential rival here in the Premier League. Schalke seems a viable option under Roberto di Matteo, particularly because Manchester City have been linked in recent days with a move for Julian Draxler. The left winger apparently has been identified as an option for a January move.

It is not too far fetched to think that Nastasic could be used as a makeweight in a move for Draxler, particularly because it has happened inversely before with Montenegrin Stefan Savic going to Fiorentina in order to bring Nastasic to City.

Martin Demichelis is obviously not a long term option, and that means that City will need players in the center back positions.

Is a loan move out of the question for Matija? You would hope that there could still be a place for the young defender at City, given the amount of promise he showed earlier in his time here. Martin Demichelis is obviously not a long term option, and that means that City will need players in the center back positions.

A large part of the problem is that Eliaquim Mangala is another young player that needs bedding in. You could potentially see Nastasic going on a season-long loan, enough time you would think to see Mangala cement a starting position, that would then allow Nastasic to return as a rotation choice for City.