Malaga behind on payments but Pellegrini wants to stay, says agent

The coach of this season's surprise team in the Champions League wants to remain and carry on the work he has started, although he is currently owed money by the club

Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini is owed money by the club but rumors that he wants to leave the Andalusian outfit are not true, according to the coach's representative Jesus Martinez.

Pellegrini took Malaga to the quarterfinals of the Champions League, narrowly losing to Borussia Dortmund in its debut season in the competition. However the club, currently fifth in La Liga will not be able to enter European competition next season because of a UEFA ban for financial issues.

“They are currently not up to date on payments. Things cannot be promised that then cannot be met,” Jesus Martinez told Onda Cero. “The club is not perfect, they cannot continue as they have. We want real solutions. This is the only concern of Pellegrini. Malaga can continue more or less as they have and to fight for between third and sixth."

Martinez added though, despite the money problems, Pellegrini would like to stay at Malaga and continue the good work he has begun, insisting there has been no contact from any other clubs.

“Undoubtedly, Manuel wants to stay in Malaga, as evidenced by what he has done and is doing. It seems that Malaga is a fairy tale," he continued. “When we signed, he believed he could grow the club to be an alternative to Madrid and Barcelona. Now we cannot get to that level, but we can compete with Sevilla and Valencia."

He added, “Pellegrini wants to strengthen, so that the continuity of the project is a reality - at the time it was, but now it is in the air. Manuel can never thank or be as happy as he has been in Malaga. He has a contract and a clause of 4 million euros."

“Nobody has come to Malaga with 4m euros asking for permission to speak with Pellegrini. Therefore we have our feet on the ground, trying to continue with the project.”