FC Barcelona are reportedly interested in signing Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte as a potential replacement for Gerard Pique, who this weekend played his last ever professional game.
According to Sport, the Catalan giants are eyeing a move for the Spanish international as a potential option to replace Pique, who recently retired from football after one of the most decorative careers in the modern game, with the centre-back winning everything possible for both club and country.
With the Barcelona legend now retired from the game, the La Liga side are looking to sign a replacement in the January transfer window, with Laporte emerging as a potential option as Xavi Hernandez’s ideal choice, Athletic Bilbao star Inigo Martinez, could be too expensive.
As a result, the prospect of signing Laporte is growing amongst those at Barcelona, even with the 28-year-old just returning from a lengthy spell out on the treatment table due to a knee injury. However, City’s business last summer could allow the defender to leave Manchester.
The reigning Premier League champions signed Manuel Akanji from Borussia Dortmund in one of the more surprising deals of the summer. And with the Swiss international impressing in defence, Laporte could be allowed to leave City in January should Barcelona make a reasonable offer.
Signed in 2018 for a reported £57m according to BBC Sport, Laporte could be tempted by a return to La Liga with Barcelona given the Catalan side’s needed for a defender. And with Barca centre-back Eric Garcia previously hailing his former teammate as ‘spectacular’, a move could well be on the cards in the coming weeks.
Barcelona signing Laporte could work for all parties involved
Laporte has had quite the career with City since joining the club over four years ago from Bilbao. Yet with Akanji making a name for himself and Ruben Dias still arguably Pep Guardiola’s best centre-back at his disposal, the Spanish international might be making a smart move in heading to Barcelona in January.
After all, Barcelona are in desperate need for a top-class centre-back to replace a figure as big as Pique. And Laporte has the quality and the experience in La Liga to fill this role perfectly for Xavi, who could be willing to spend big to bring the City star to Catalonia.
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