What does City’s new signing mean for Laporte?

Aymeric Laporte could leave Manchester City this summer following reports that Gvardiol is City bound.

Rumours broke in the media that the Blues have reached an agreement with RB Leipzig for the Croatian defender.

The deal is worth £77m and includes no add-ons, which is cheaper than record sum for a defender. A record maintained by Manchester United for Harry Maguire.

However, the addition of another centre-back could mean the end for Aymeric Laporte. Rumours flew earlier in the transfer window that he might leave should City sign another defender.

After finding himself on the bench during large parts of the 22/23 season, he wants to explore his options. Understandably, he wants game time. And with the increased defensive depth, where will that leave him?

Sources close to the club have disclosed that while there has been interest from other clubs, no official offers have come in.

Laporte is far too good a player to be sat on a bench for large parts of a season, and deserves regular game time. Astute defensively, and arguably City’s best distributor of the defensive options.

To reach his peak levels of previous seasons he must be given regular game time. Yet this is not guaranteed at City.

Incredibly, he played the final games of the 21/22 title winning season cumbered with injury. While defensive options were at a low through injuries, he put himself on the line for the badge.