Report: Laporte to City this weekend

Manchester City will pay Aymeric Laporte’s €65m release clause at Athletic Bilbao on Friday or Monday, say reports in the Spanish press.

The 23-year-old defender has a €65m release clause at San Mames while Diario AS lead reports stating City will pay a further €5m will be included due to the Basque club’s development rights for the player.

Cadena Cope report he confirmed his willingness to move to the English Premier League leaders last Friday, before telling the Basque club on Sunday that he had his heart set on leaving.

He is now set to become City’s club record transfer and the world’s second most expensive defender, after Liverpool’s Virgil Van Dijk.

Laporte’s release clause at Athletic will increase to €75m this summer and City see him as their preferred target over other options such as Jonny Evans or Inigo Martinez, of Real Sociedad.

Barcelona were previously linked to the Athletic central defender before their agreement for Yerry Mina.

The former France Under-21 defender has made 222 first-team appearances at San Mames but with the emergence of central defenders Unai Nunez and Yeray Alvarez, his significance may perhaps become diminished.

Tags Aymeric Laporte Manchester City
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