Aymeric Laporte Signs Long Term Manchester City Contract

Despite only having joined Manchester City 12 months ago, Aymeric Laporte was today afforded a new long term contract with the Club.

Manchester City signed Aymeric Laporte from Athletic Bilbao after a lengthy courtship for what was then a club record fee of around £57 million on 30 January 2018. City had first shown interest some 12 months before and the player at that time turned down the option of joining with Pep Guardiola. City though maintained their interest and added him to a squad which was well on the way to achieving greatness.

I think the first time I saw Laporte was on his home debut against West Bromwich Albion the day after he joined the Club. During the game he started spraying the ball around with his deadly accurate long range passing and it was clear to all watching that we had a quality player on our hands.

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Laporte has settled in well to our style of play and has quickly proven himself to be our most dependable defender. He has a poise and calmness about his work on the ball and can be robust and physical when required. His strength in the challenge has featured heavily against a number of sides and helps to add some solidity to our high line.

So far this season he has already played 36 matches across all competitions, scoring 4 goals and managing a single assist. A number of these matches have seen him deployed as an emergency left back which makes the quality and consistency of his performances all the more impressive.

Given his performance level it has not been a surprise that City have sought to tie the player down to an extended contract where he will join a range of other first team stars who have been rewarded. City have today announced Laporte has agreed a new contract which will keep him at the Club until 30 June 2025. At just 24 years of age this new contract potentially keeps Laporte in Manchester for the best years of his career.

This has been a perfect start for Laporte, whose only disappointment must be his ongoing lack of International recognition by the France manager Didier Deschamps. Born in the Basque region Laporte has dual nationality of France and Spain but long ago nailed his colours to the French nation but despite his superb displays at City he continues to be overlooked. Still, that is our gain as he is able to rest during the periods of the International break.

Laporte has not yet featured in the Carabao Cup this season but I hope he will play at Wembley and have the opportunity to claim another trophy for the blues.