Manuel Pellegrini has warned new signing Nicolas Otamendi he will have to be patient to make his Manchester City debut.
Argentina centre-back Otamendi completed his big-money move to the Etihad Stadium from Valencia on Thursday.
But Pellegrini is happy with the form of defensive pairing Vincent Kompany and Eliaquim Mangala, who have helped his side to two clean sheets in as many Premier League games this season ahead of their trip to Everton on Sunday.
"He [Otamendi] is a very good player who is improving," said the Chilean. "Last season with Valencia he made a very good season so he is improving every year, and he's a good header [of the ball] which I think is a good thing in England.
"[But] the way we are playing it's impossible to move Kompany and Mangala out of their positions.
"We are in a good moment, we haven't conceded a goal so we will continue to play with the same defence."
Otamendi's arrival could see fellow centre back Jason Denayer depart City on loan again after the Belgian spent last season with Celtic.
Pellegrini added: "We'll talk with him and his agent. He improved a lot last year at Celtic, we will see now where he will go or if he stays here, we will decide that in the next couple of weeks."
