In a recent print edition, Sport (via Sport Witness) revealed that Barcelona are eyeing a loan move for Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte this summer. It is believed that the Spanish centre-back wants to leave Man City this summer with Barca hoping to get a loan deal done for him before the end of this transfer window.
Laporte’s Lack Of Game Time At The Etihad Stadium Last Season
Laporte played a sporadic role for the Mancunian giants last season but did enough to help them win the Premier League title. The Agen-born defensive ace made 27 appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side in the previous campaign, scoring two goals and picking up five yellow cards on all fronts.
The Spanish sensation’s form was a bit up and down on the defensive end of the field as he averaged 0.8 tackles, 0.7 interceptions and 1.8 clearances per 90 minutes in the English top-flight. He was excellent when distributing possession from the back based on his pass success rate of 91.1% in league football (stats via whoscored).
Laporte has proven his worth as a reliable defender when he is playing regularly on the pitch. However, he has fallen behind Ruben Dias and John Stones in Guardiola’s pecking order, so it is no wonder that the player wants to leave in search of more playing time over the next 12 months.
Should Man City Let Laporte Go This Summer?
Laporte is a solid tackler of the ball and has got the hunger to secure the ball back for his team. He is often quick to scan the danger and can put his foot through the ball when the opposition are looking to threaten on the counter.
The seven-time Spain international has a good football IQ and is usually a composed presence on the ball. Standing at 1.89m, he can use his robust frame to dominate the aerial battle inside his half. Furthermore, Laporte enjoys playing as a centre-half but is versatile enough to feature as a left-back if needed.
At the moment, Guardiola has only got Ruben Dias, John Stones and Nathan Ake as his other centre-back options. Hence, the Man City boss simply cannot afford to let someone of Laporte’s quality and versatility go this late in the transfer window unless he can bring in a suitable replacement.
