Pellegrini staying to help Malaga

Star players Jose Salomon Rondon and Santi Cazorla have both been sold in the last five days amid what the club described as an 'internal restructuring' amid reports - later denied - that owner Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Al-Thani of the Qatar royal family wanted to sell after only two years.

But Pellegrini told a news conference: "I'm staying here to help the club through these tough times.

"It's just unfortunate that everything has been left until the last minute."

Rondon and Cazorla were among several players who had complained about unpaid wages at Malaga as it struggles to cope with financial fair play rules.

Pellegrini told the news conference, published on the club's official website: "As soon as the situation is sorted out with the players then I'll stop worrying.

"I feel responsible that some of the team who didn't make an official complaint did so because of me. My relationship with the club is a good one. I have no problems staying here and fulfilling my obligations in the future."

He said the spirit in the team was "untouchable" despite everything that had been going on and the players were determined to press in La Liga for a UEFA Champions League place.

Venezuela international Rondon, 22, was signed this week by Russian side Rubin Kazan and 27-year-old winger Cazorla moved to Arsenal for a reported fee of £15 million.

There had been reports that Pellegrini's wages were causing problems for the troubled club.