Manchester City identify Chelsea centre-back as top target amid pending Aymeric Laporte exit

With Aymeric Laporte seemingly moving closer to the exit door at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City officials are now looking towards Chelsea for a replacement.

The Spain international defender has seen his game time under Pep Guardiola significantly limited so far this season, registering less appearances than the likes of Cole Palmer, Sergio Gomez, and Rico Lewis.

As such, the former Athletic Bilbao man has been heavily linked with a move away from Manchester City in the coming weeks and months, attracting interest from Spain and Italy in particular.

While City would likely search for a replacement, it remains unclear just how much of their transfer budget they would be willing to allocate to the signing of an incoming central defender, especially given links to a number of options with varying asking prices.

The latest name to be linked with Manchester City is the highly-rated Chelsea central defender – currently on-loan at Brighton & Hove Albion – Levi Colwill.

According to the information of Nizaar Kinsella of the Evening Standard, both Manchester City and Liverpool are taking an interest in the services of the 20 year-old, as they look to take advantage of Chelsea being forced into sales in order to meet Financial FairPlay rules.

It is suggested that both City and Liverpool have identified the rising England youth international as a ‘top target’, while Chelsea are expected to enter into contract talks with the player in an attempt to fend off any interest.

The Evening Standard state that Pep Guardiola is now ‘prepared to sanction an exit’ for Aymeric Laporte this summer, and Manchester City are ready to move to prise Colwill away from Stamford Bridge.

The upcoming summer will also be one of significant reflection and assessment for Manchester City officials when it comes to some of Colwill’s fellow England youth international defenders.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis is set to return from his season-long loan move at recently-promoted Championship side Burnley, with City expected to seek a contract renewal before weighing up the possibility of another temporary move – but not ruling out a permanent deal.

Callum Doyle – who is currently on-loan at Coventry City – is also highly-rated within Manchester City’s academy system, but despite a similarly impressive campaign to the aforementioned Harwood-Bellis, remains some distance from Pep Guardiola’s first-team squad.