The latest on Man City's move for Aymeric Laporte | OneFootball

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Dan Burke·24 January 2018

The latest on Man City's move for Aymeric Laporte

Article image:The latest on Man City's move for Aymeric Laporte

Manchester City could complete the signing of Athletic Club defender Aymeric Laporte on Thursday or Friday, according to various reports in Spain.

El Correo report Laporte has agreed a six-year contract at the Etihad Stadium and will join the Premier League leaders as soon as his €65 million release clause is triggered.


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The 23-year-old will earn approximately €7m-per-season after tax and has been identified by City boss Pep Guardiola as a long-term central defensive partner for John Stones, who was born just one day after the Frenchman in May 1994.

Laporte came within a whisker of joining the Blues in the summer of 2016 before backing out on the move at the last minute, but Marca report the France U-21 international communicated his desire to leave Athletic on Tuesday and has rejected the Basque club’s request to delay his departure until June.

On Wednesday morning he trained with his team-mates as normal, but things are now expected to move quickly and by the end of the week, he could be unveiled as a City player.

Laporte has played 30 times for José Ángel Ziganda’s side this season but it seems 222nd appearance for the club could well have been his last. He will reportedly be registered to play for City in the Champions League knock-out phase and could make his debut against West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League next week.

Last weekend, Laporte and Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Fred were identified during a meeting between Guardiola, City chief executive Ferran Soriano and sporting director Txiki Begiristain as the club’s prime transfer targets and there is hope that deals for both players will be concluded before the transfer window closes on 31 January.