Manchester City fans have been reacting to a post on Twitter which relays a report that claims the club have line-up a List of possible replacements for Aymeric Laporte this summer.
Laporte was City’s best defender during their title-winning campaign two years ago, but a serious knee problem saw him miss the majority of last season, whilst the arrival or Ruben Dias from Benfica last summer saw the Frenchman lose his place in the team.
City’s season ended with Laporte watching from the sidelines as they lost the Champions League final, cutting a frustrated and desolate figure as John Stones and Ruben Dias continued to be Pep Guardiola’s go-to centre-back pairing.
Laporte, for the first time in his career, found himself out in the cold – he made just 14 starts in the Premier League and three in the Champions League.
So it was no surprise, especially after his watching brief in Porto, to hear whispers that he was unhappy and that he was hoping for a move to Spain.
The premier league champions have already lost young centre-back Eric Garcia to Barcelona on a free transfer, whilst Laporte, who has been considering his future, has been linked with a move away from the Etihad Stadium, with Barcelona keen to take him.
Should City move the €45m-rated defender on this summer, it would leave Nathan Ake as the only back up to regular pairing Dias and John Stones.
According to Duncan Castles, speaking on the ‘Transfer Window’ podcast via City Xtra, Manchester City have already compiled a list of possible replacements for Laporte, should a transfer be completed in the coming weeks.
The report claims Manchester City have “three or four candidates” on their list of possible Laporte replacements this summer, and the Premier League champions are “working actively on it”.
In terms of candidates on this list, Duncan Castles draws attention to three names’, Sevilla’s Jules Kounde, Villarreal’s Pau Torres and Brighton’s England international centre-back Ben White.
In reaction to the report shared on Twitter by City Xtra, Many Man City fans have been expressing their thoughts and opinions.
NO NO NO
— 🤟🏻⚡️ (@mxnciteh) July 1, 2021
Keep LaPorte at all costs
— shawn (@BluuMoonRising) July 1, 2021
Nah man we can’t sell Laporte he’s too good
— Cosmin 🇷🇴 (@JbagJoao) July 1, 2021
Laporte shouldn’t leave and wouldn’t want to leave
— milan mahat (@milanmahat) July 1, 2021
We need Laporte to stay. One big injury to Dias or Stones and we’ll drop hugely in class without him. Should use him at left back a lot to keep him involved. Alas, I think he’ll go and we’ll get Ramos, who is ancient and hasn’t played for ages due to injury.
— David Medley (@MedleyDave) July 1, 2021
Stones was better than him last season though?
— Ben 🇧🇼 (@_BenMCFC_) July 1, 2021
If we do sell Laporte which we probably sadly will cause a defender of his quality starts for pretty much every team itw and he has 4 years left on his deal so we should rlly be getting 70 mill + for him but we probably will only get 50
— Cyrus 🙇🏻♂️ (@SilkyCyrus_74) July 1, 2021
Honestly I will still go for Laporte and Dias for starting.. Stones can drop form but not Laporte
— Mr. James 🏴 (@kazionline) July 1, 2021
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