Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed that defender Aymeric Laporte is set to be ruled out until September after undergoing knee surgery over the summer.
The 28-year-old missed the club’s pre-season tour of the USA due to a knee injury that he sustained against Wolverhampton Wanderers towards the end of last season.
After briefly losing his place in the starting lineup to John Stones, Laporte regained his place at centre-back and formed a successful partnership alongside Ruben Dias in 2021-22.
The Spain international scored four goals in 33 Premier League appearances for the Citizens on their way to lifting the title last term, as well as featuring 11 times across the Champions League and FA Cup.
However, Guardiola has revealed that Laporte will now miss the start of City’s title defence as well as Saturday’s Community Shield against Liverpool at the King Power Stadium.
“Laporte is injured,” Guardiola told reporters before tomorrow’s clash at Leicester City’s King Power Stadium.
“He had surgery. Last season he played the last few games with an injury, he made an incredible effort but he could not continue to do that.
“He had surgery and so far he’s doing really well. You have to be careful because it was his knee. If all goes well he will start to be with us in September.”
Guardiola still has four centre-back options at his disposal, with Stones, Dias, Nathan Ake and academy graduate Luke Mbete all available for the Spaniard this weekend.
City face Liverpool in the Community Shield at the King Power Stadium on Saturday in the traditional curtain raiser to the English top-flight season.
Guardiola’s men start their title defence at West Ham on August 7.
