Aymeric Laporte’s time at Manchester City was a successful one, as he spent five and a half years at the Etihad Stadium winning every possible trophy at club level before signing for Al-Nassr in 2023.
It could be argued that Laporte was underrated at Manchester City as the Spanish international quietly went about his business while operating at world-class standards.
Fabrizio Romano has revealed that after spending two seasons in Saudi Arabia, the 31-year-old no longer has a place in Al-Nassr’s project, with Athletic Bilbao holding talks to re-sign him.
Manchester City fans are delighted about the prospect of Aymeric Laporte playing his football in Europe again as a defender of his calibre merits playing at the highest level.
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Man City fans so happy about Athletic Bilbao eyeing Aymeric Laporte
One Manchester City fan reacted to Athletic Bilbao’s interest in Laporte by simply writing: “I’m super thrilled that it might be a return to Europe!”
A second supporter claimed that injuries prevented the four-time Premier League winner from being one of the greatest defenders in history, celebrating his possible return to Europe as well: “Definitely wishing him the best. If it weren’t for all his injuries he’d be one of the best CB’s [centre-backs] we’ve ever seen. But super humble guy and deserves to play great football.”
A third Manchester City fan gave Laporte the credit he deserves for his excellent career after discovering Athletic Bilbao are keen to sign him, writing: “Broke out under [Marcelo] Bielsa, helped secure Bilbao’s first [piece of] silverware in 31 years [Spanish Cup in 2015], secured the bag coming to City, won a boatload of trophies in record breaking fashion in the toughest league, secured the bag again, and now a deserved homecoming. Happy for our guy.”
A fourth City fan admitted that he would actually fancy the former Bilbao centre-back’s return to the Etihad Stadium, claiming: “I’d take him back at City for a year!”
Another Sky Blues supporter simply commented on the news by saying, “Legend”, followed by a ‘light blue heart.’
Finally, a sixth Manchester City fan believes a return to Athletic Bilbao would be the perfect move for Laporte, writing: “Love this. Hope he goes back to his boyhood club!”
It’s safe to say that Laporte’s legacy at Manchester City has aged brilliantly, judging by how much the fans still adore him.
Aymeric Laporte made a cryptic comment about Pep Guardiola after Man City exit
The adoration that the player receives is not only due to being an excellent servant for City but as he seems to still support the club, with Laporte raving about Rodri and seemingly tuning into his former side’s matches.
Manchester City fans hope he succeeds if a move to Athletic Bilbao is finalised but Laporte seemed to fire shots at Pep Guardiola when asked about the former manager’s famous policy of letting unsettled players leave at will.
“That’s what he usually says, but for a number of players it wasn’t like that.”
However, in March, Laporte chose not to elaborate, simply saying: “I’m not going to get into that kind of thing. I decided to leave and I was able to leave. That’s it.”
