£57m Laporte asks Bilbao to seal City move
AYMERIC Laporte has told Athletic Bilbao he wants to join Manchester City in a deal worth £57million.
The 23-year- old French centre back is expected to join City early next week on a five-year deal after rejecting a £40m move to City in 2016 because he was recovering from injury and did not think he was ready for the Premier League,
Laporte informed Bilbao president Josu Urrutia that he has now decided to sign for City, who have agreed to meet the release clause in his contract.
City manager Pep Guardiola continued to monitor Laporte since failing to sign him first time round.
After seeing Liverpool land another of their targets, Virgil van Dijk from Southampton, early in the transfer window, City made their move for Laporte last weekend and talks accelerated on Tuesday.
City are now unlikely to follow up their interest in West Bromwich Albion defender Jonny Evans who looks destined for Arsenal.
It is not impossible that Evans could also go to the Etihad if City can offload Eliaquim Mangala this month while deciding that relying on Vincent Kompany’s fitness has become too much of a risk.
Belgium captain Kompany is set to play against Cardiff in the FA Cup on Sunday but Arsenal are favourites to sign Evans for about £20m after failing with a summer bid. Evans, a 30-year-old Northern Ireland international, would have preferred the North West but is open to a move to London.
West Brom are also keen to sell Evans, who could leave for a knockdown £3m if they are relegated in May. The fee would help finance a bid for a new striker.
City are still talking to Shakhtar Donetsk over a £50m move for Brazil midfielder Fred, though it is unlikely he would switch to the Etihad until the summer.
It is possible that a deal could be sealed this month with the player staying at Donetsk on loan for the remainder of the season.
City are also keeping tabs on 18- year- old Lille midfielder Boubakary Soumare, though he is seen as one for the future.
Meanwhile, City forward Kevin De Bruyne insists the club do not need Alexis Sanchez as they chase an historic Quadruple.
‘He chose Manchester United. We will still do what we need to do, with or without him,’ said the Belgian, who signed a new £280,000-a-week deal on Monday.
After scoring Tuesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final winner at Bristol City, De Bruyne hopes lifting the trophy on February 25 could be the springboard to a Quadruple.
‘We’re going to try,’ he said. ‘We’re also competing in the FA Cup and Champions League. We want to win everything.’