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Tottenham Hotspur having made an ambitious move to sign Aymeric Laporte this summer.
Manchester City currently boast five natural centre-backs within their ranks, with Laporte playing the least of the quintet this term. Nathan Ake has been used at left-back, Manuel Akanji often featuring on the right, rotating with Kyle Walker.
That has left John Stones and Ruben Dias – occasionally Akanji, too – preferred in the centre of defence, with French-born Spain international Laporte as the odd one out. Now, he wants to leave the Etihad Stadium, according to reports.
Football Transfers (opens in new tab) have claimed that Spurs are looking at bringing Laporte to north London in a bid to bolster their backline. Barcelona are reportedly keen on the left-footed centre-back (opens in new tab) too, however, with manager Xavi Hernandez resorting to using former Chelsea wing-back Marcos Alonso in the centre of defence of late.
In a straight fight for the player, it would look as if Laporte has his mind set on Catalonia – with journalist Dean Jones telling GiveMeSport (opens in new tab) that the 28-year-old wants to move abroad.
“From everything I’ve heard, he would be looking to move abroad and wouldn’t actually be looking to stay in the Premier League,” Jones said, “So I’m not so sure about Tottenham as a landing spot.”
A move to the Lilywhites would make a lot stylistically though – and Tottenham may be in a better financial position. Laporte would appear to be the perfect kind of centre-back to field alongside a more aggressive right-footer in Cristian Romero.
Of course, internal turmoil at Tottenham could have a bearing on any deal. The club are currently managerless with director Fabio Paratici suspended following his part in the Juventus scandal.
Laporte is valued at just €30m by Transfermarkt (opens in new tab).
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