There have been many eyebrow raising transfer deal so far this summer, but one involving a Manchester City might just be about top the lot.
The summer of 2023 shall likely always be remembered as the summer the Saudi Pro League dug their claws into European football.
Four clubs are now owned by the Saudi PIF – Ah Ahli, Al Nassr Al Ittihad and Al Hilal.
These four clubs have been on a mission to lure players from Europe to boost the profile and competition of their league.
At first, players towards the end of their playing careers were being targeted.
But now, we are seeing younger stars heading over.
And now, we could be about to see the first player that is genuinely world-class right now make a move to the Gulf state, as Aymeric Laporte prepares to join Al Nassr.
Aymeric Laporte on the brink of joining Al Nassr
City have already done business with one of these clubs this summer.
Al Ahli signed Riyad Mahrez earlier this summer, which is a move that Pep Guardiola himself didn’t see coming.
But now it looks as though Laporte will also be going to the SPL.
Fabrizio Romano has given the transfer story his ‘Here we go’ catchphrase, which is usually a pretty good indicator that a move will come to fruition.
Laporte has agreed personal terms, and apparently Al Nassr are paying a fee in the region on £25 million.
Laporte to Al Nassr is a travesty
First and foremost, Laporte is entitled to do whatever he wants in his career.
Undoubtedly, Al Nassr will have offered him an incredible pay packet to lure him.
But there is no question about it – this is a genuine travesty given the quality of player involved.
Laporte may not have been starting regularly for City in the last year or so. But that never meant he was struggling, or had started to decline.
He was just an unfortunate victim of circumstance.
Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake were both exceptional last term, which just made it so hard for him to get into the side.
Ruben Dias is probably the City centre-back who’s the most likely to play every game.
And then you’ve got John Stones, who has become an incredible player in that defence-midfield hybrid role.
Laporte, when he comes in for City, always does well.
He may not be as aggressive in the challenge as Dias, or be a ‘backs to the wall’ defender like the Portuguese.
But Laporte is still solid, and no one can hold a candle to him when it comes to line-breaking passing.
It has been astonishing to see the apparent lack of interest from other clubs in Europe, in a player correctly described as ‘absolutely world-class’ by Steph Houghton recently.
He could easily be starting for many of the biggest clubs in the world.
But it looks like Al Nassr have got their man – and it is truly some coup for them and their league.
