By Phil McNulty
Manchester City are poised to sack manager Roberto Mancini and replace him with Malaga’s Manuel Pellegrini.
Mancini took over from Mark Hughes in December 2009, leading City to the FA Cup in 2011 and the Premier League title a year later.
But the 48-year-old Italian saw his side lose this year’s FA Cup final to Wigan at Wembley on Saturday.
After the game, he criticised the club for not quashing reports that a deal with Pellegrini, 59, was already done.
“You [the media] continue to speak about this for six months and also too much in the last two weeks,” said Mancini.
“I don’t know why the club didn’t stop this because I don’t think it’s true.”
City officials met with with Pellegrini’s agent, Jesus Martinez, in April. Martinez also represents Malaga midfielder Isco, a reported target for the Blues, and Mancini has admitted he did not know why the meeting had taken place.
His fate could have been sealed even before Wigan’s 1-0 win on Saturday and, after his criticism of City officials, there are now suggestions he may even lose his job this week.
It is understood there is no formal announcement planned as yet but the silence surrounding Mancini strikes an ominous tone for the former Inter Milan and Lazio boss.
The defeat by the Latics ended City’s bid to regain the trophy they won two years ago, a success that ended a run of 35 years without major silverware.
Twelve months later, City won their first top-flight title in 44 years, beating Manchester United on goal difference on a dramatic final day of the season.
But Mancini has overseen a lacklustre defence of the Premier League crown, as United regained the title with four games to spare.
And City’s Champions League campaign ended with them bottom of their group, without a win from their six games in a group containing finalists Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid and Ajax, the second time in as many seasons that City had failed to reach the knockout stage.
Chilean Pellegrini, who has previously had spells in charge of Real Madrid and Villarreal, took charge of Malaga in November 2010.
In his first full season in charge, he guided Malaga to fourth in La Liga and Champions League qualification for the first time.
Malaga reached the last eight of this season’s competition, before being knocked out by Dortmund and are sixth in the Spanish top flight.
However, they will not be appearing in Europe next term after being banned by Uefa over unpaid bills.
