Manchester City’s big-spending summer is set to continue with the signing of Aymeric Laporte, 22, from Athletic Bilbao.
The Premier League giants are ready to activate the French Under-21 international’s €50m release clause, enticing the youngster with wages of £120,000 per week, three times the amount the Basque club currently pay him.
Since breaking into the first team four seasons ago, the centre back has made 149 appearances and scored seven times, five coming during the 2015/16 season. He was a member of the victorious 2015 Copa Del Rey side that beat Barcelona in the final, securing Athletic their first silverware in more than three decades.
New City boss Pep Guardiola, sees Laporte as successor to injury-prone captain, Vincent Kompany, 30. The Belgian struggled to regain fitness since struggling with a calf injury in late-2015. He managed just eight minutes of the Champions League second leg which City lost to eventual winners, Real Madrid.
Questions have been asked whether City will be able to rely on Kompany. Despite the problems, the Belgian is widely respected at the club and is seen as an integral member of the squad. Still club captain, he is expected to feature in Guardiola’s plans but signing Laporte would ease the pressure on the Belgian defender.
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