From France: Manchester City centre-back ‘ready to leave’ this summer

Manchester City centre-back Aymeric Laporte is reportedly ‘ready to leave’ the Club during the upcoming summer transfer window.

The 28 year-old has had a very stop-start campaign up until this point for Manchester City, registering just 15 appearances across all competitions under Pep Guardiola, and contributing one assist in the process.

Knee surgery last summer meant the Spain international was absent for the opening matches of the 2022/23 season, while the World Cup break in the middle of the campaign, as well as a recent bout with illness, has seen Aymeric Laporte struggle for consistent game time.

When the former Athletic Bilbao defender has featured, he has certainly impressed, but the fine form of Nathan Ake at left-back, as well as the return of Ruben Dias and John Stones, may have seen Laporte fall down the pecking order at a crucial time of the season.

As such, a new report to have emerged this week has claimed that Aymeric Laporte may in fact seek an exit from Manchester City during the upcoming summer transfer window, largely in search of more frequent game time.

That is according to the information of French outlet FootMercato, who report that Aymeric Laporte is now ‘ready to leave’ Manchester City, having become a ‘luxury substitute’ for Pep Guardiola this season.

The report, as translated and relayed by Sport Witness, also recalls that the Spain international’s name had been on the sights of Barcelona, when the Catalan club were looking for a replacement for Gerard Pique.

From the side of Manchester City, it appears that the Premier League champions will not be standing in Laporte’s way should he decide to seek and exit, with a replacement already identified: RB Leipzig and Croatia defender Josko Gvardiol.

While City are claimed to have failed in an attempt to sign the 21 year-old during the most recent January transfer window, FootMercato report that the impressive centre-back is a ‘priority’ for transfer officials at the Etihad Stadium this summer.

Aymeric Laporte joined City in January 2018, after the club activated his release clause from Athletic Bilbao. After quickly establishing himself as a key player in the team’s defence, the defender played a crucial role in their successful Premier League title defence in the 2018/19.

Laporte suffered a knee injury in August 2019, which sidelined him for several months. He made his comeback in January 2020 and played a vital role in Manchester City’s run to the Champions League quarter-finals.

His injury woes continued in the 2020/21 season, but he still managed to make 27 appearances in all competitions and helped City win the Premier League title once again.

While Laporte certainly remains an important member of Manchester City’s squad, providing solidity and composure in defence, a change this summer would fall in line with the general plans across the first-team playing squad, with a significant overhaul anticipated.