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Manchester City: Transfer News and Rumour Roundup

By Stephen Little

BERLIN, GERMANY - APRIL 20: Ilkay Guendogan of Dortmund looks on prior to the DFB Cup semi final match between Hertha BSC Berlin and Borussia Dortmund at Olympia Stadium on April 20, 2016 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Bongarts/Getty Images)
BERLIN, GERMANY - APRIL 20: Ilkay Guendogan of Dortmund looks on prior to the DFB Cup semi final match between Hertha BSC Berlin and Borussia Dortmund at Olympia Stadium on April 20, 2016 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Bongarts/Getty Images) /
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The Oh So Close

Aymeric Laporte, Atletico Bilbao, 22, Defender

Well I never! Manchester City need better defender(s)? Imagine my surprise.

This is starting to feel like a daily ritual now. Like who can we plug in this year? Last year’s effort was Nicolas Otamendi who ultimately went down like a lead balloon. This year it seems another budding, talented, acclaimed and, of course, expensive young central defender is being pursued – Bilbao’s Aymeric Laporte.

Not that I disagree with this choice, certainly it strikes me as a better call than the earlier suggestion of throwing £50million towards signing John Stones. Stones, of course, coming off the back of a howler of a season with Everton and a shaky start to his international career too, seems more the kind of knee-jerk reaction one would expect from United. Laporte is a far more reliable choice to play alongside Vincent Kompany and has the stats to match.

Oh but hey, Laporte is also injured. You couldn’t make it up. Can we hire someone to give Paul Pogba a black eye so we can sign him too? Laporte, it’s rumoured, will cost in and around £40 million which is the value of his release clause on his current contract. Not just so, but according to many publications, they’ve already agreed to pay it.

From as early as the beginning of May, speculation was rife of a Laporte move to Manchester City with even The Guardian reporting City’s willingness to pay the release. The player dismissed talk of a move from Bilbao, but that did little to dent the speculation or, it seems, the Blues’ desires to make a swoop for the French U21 captain.

Talk has been heating up of late though, with Spanish media group Cadena SER reporting that City have met Atletico’s asking price. All that’s left is for Laporte to decide to leave and under what terms. For Laporte, committing himself to a big contract now may lose him money compared to if he made the move next year. Alternatively, he could have himself a John Stones and make less. The potential of playing and growing under Pep Guardiola too is an opportunity that would be difficult to pass up.

It’s hard to say at this point if Laporte really is a done deal, as many suggest is the case. My inkling is that if Pep wants him enough, he’ll get him. Every man has his price and City just so happens to be one of those teams who can afford it. For now we’ll wait and see…

Next: The Potential

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