Manchester City are ready to offload centre-back Aymeric Laporte and as per the updates, the Spanish international has no shortage of takers.
Aston Villa and Spurs have already been linked with the City defender and just a few days ago, it was reported that Chelsea are also keeping tabs on the 29-year-old.
Now, to make things even more interesting, Mundo Deportivo is suggesting that Arsenal have also have an eye on him and could make a formal move in the next couple of weeks.
Aymeric Laporte has fallen down the pecking order as he featured in only 12 Premier League games this season so it’s no surprise that Manchester City are ready to offload him. However, the Cityzens want around £60 million for the 29-year-old even though his current valuation is only £25 million plus his contract with the club expires in 2025.
Which club is Aymeric Laporte expected to join in the coming weeks?
It’s hard to see the defender staying at City for one more season and with so many clubs interested in signing him, Guardiola won’t risk letting him enter the final year of his contract.
Aston Villa and Spurs were hoping for a two-horse race but Chelsea and Arsenal’s entry into the mix could give rise to a bidding war. £60 million is an absurd number but Chelsea as well as Arsenal won’t mind paying it and this is a big problem for Villa as well as Spurs.
On any other day, £30-35 million would have been good enough to make Manchester City agree on a deal but now that so many big clubs want to sign him, City will want to jack up Laporte’s fee as much as possible.
Transfer fee isn’t going to be the only hurdle because all these clubs will have to convince Aymeric Laporte that joining them will be the better career decision for him and this is where Spurs and Villa will have a slight upper hand.
Aymeric Laporte has been struggling for game time at Man City but both Villa and Spurs will be able to offer him regular starts next season. On the other hand, at Chelsea and Arsenal, the Spain international will have to fight for his place in the first XI.
Out of the four interested teams, only one can offer him Champions League football but with the state he is in right now, the 29-year-old cannot afford to make such demands. He was a backup defender last season so his main aim will be the join a side where he can play 40-45 games next campaign and then take it from there.
A player of his stature and experience will be revered at Villa Park or at Tottenham but the pull of playing for a big club like Arsenal or Chelsea might be too much for him to reject.
Manchester City will happily send him to whichever club is ready to meet their financial demands and if the two big boys are serious about signing him then they have a much better chance at landing Aymeric Laporte.
