Athletic Bilbao are reportedly keen to re-sign Aymeric Laporte, who is expected to leave Manchester City.
Laporte has long been linked with an exit from the Etihad Stadium.
The defender was not a regular in the starting XI last season, with Pep Guardiola preferring the likes of Nathan Ake, Ruben Dias and Manuel Akanji.
£57 million man Laporte made just 24 appearances across all competitions.
The Spain international has been linked with a number of clubs, such as Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona. There has also apparently been some interest from the Saudi Pro Leaugue.
City are now set to announce the signing of Josko Gvardiol after finally reaching an agreement with RB Leipzig.
And this will potentially accelerate Laporte’s exit from the club.
Athletic Bilbao want to re-sign Man City star Aymeric Laporte, but Luis Enrique is ‘in love’ with the defender
Laporte is still very much one of the top centre-halves in world football.
He is certainly right up there with the best ball-playing centre-halves.
He could easily play for one of the biggest clubs in the world.
But according to Estadio Deportivo, it is not ruled out that Bilbao could move to re-sign the star.
Their manager Ernesto Valverde really likes Laporte and wants him in his backline.
Bilbao have lost Inigo Martinez this summer to Barcelona and need a replacement.
It is stated that Athletic could wait until the end of the window to make their move. Apparently, they could play on the sentiment of Laporte going back and leading their defence.
But Bilbao could be rivalled by PSG, who are now managed by Luis Enrique.
Enrique was thought to be key in Laporte changing his international allegiance to Spain, and is said to be ‘in love with Laporte’s football skills and is already working to have him under his orders again’.
Laporte is ‘better’ that Athletic Bilbao, surely PSG is a more likely move
Bilbao’s hopes of signing Laporte are admirable.
But there is surely no way he makes that move over PSG.
Laporte is still a top-class defender and is somewhat unlucky to find himself in the position he does at City.
Many top clubs in Europe would be lucky to have him.
Surely, he is much more likely to join PSG, where he would link back up with Enrique.
The second Enrique took the job at the Parc des Princes, it was always possible he would want to come calling for Laporte, after playing a key role in getting him to play for Spain.
