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Manchester City superstar requests to leave the Etihad this summer

By Rohan Sengupta

SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: A poppy is seen on the shirt of Riyah Mahrez of Manchester City as he stands with team mates Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling of Manchester City during the Premier League match between Sheffield United and Manchester City at Bramall Lane on October 31, 2020 in Sheffield, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: A poppy is seen on the shirt of Riyah Mahrez of Manchester City as he stands with team mates Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling of Manchester City during the Premier League match between Sheffield United and Manchester City at Bramall Lane on October 31, 2020 in Sheffield, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) /
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According to Duncan Castles on the Transfer Window Podcast (h/t The Sun), Aymeric Laporte has asked to leave Manchester City this summer.

The Spanish international, 27, joined the Sky Blues from Atletico Bilbao in January 2018 and immediately became a key figure in Pep Guardiola’s side. He made 35 appearances in the 2018/19 season as Manchester City won the Premier League title, finishing one point ahead of second-placed Liverpool.

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However, Aymeric Laporte suffered a serious knee injury in the midst of the 2019/20 campaign that kept him out on the sidelines for more than five months. It’s been downhill since then, with the center-back yet to get back to his absolute best.

The 27-year-old lost his place in Pep Guardiola’s starting XI last season, starting just 14 out of 16 Premier League games.

The terrific partnership of Ruben Dias and John Stones at the heart of City’s defense kept him out of the team for the majority of the campaign, demoting him to third-choice option.

Now, Laporte is unhappy with his role at the club and is considering his future, claims Duncan Castles on the Transfer Window Podcast (h/t The Sun). The Spanish international is pushing for an exit, with Barcelona showing an interest in him.

But Barcelona are currently in a financial mess and would struggle to afford a deal for the French-born center-half this summer, the report (h/t The Sun) adds. Laporte’s preference would be to move back to Spain, where he started his career with Athletic Bilbao and made 222 appearances for his boyhood club before moving to England three years ago.

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Laporte is a quality defender and it’s understandable why he wants to leave the defending Premier League champions. Dias and Stones have built a strong partnership at the back and Guardiola is set to trust the pair to start the 2021/22 campaign.

This will once again mean a bench role for Laporte, who at 27 is entering the prime stages of his career and should be playing week in, week out. As things stand, Manchester City are now under pressure to find a solution to the central defender’s future.

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