Athletic Club de Bilbao are growing increasingly confident that they will be able to pull off a sensational swoop for Aymeric Laporte this summer.
That’s according to journalist Patxo de la Rica, who has reported that Laporte could end up returning to the club Manchester City signed him from in 2018.
Laporte is keen to leave City this summer after falling down the defensive pecking order at the Etihad Stadium last season.
The Spain international – who City signed from Athletic Club for £57m in January 2018 – started just 20 games in all competitions as Pep Guardiola’s side won a historic treble.
With City pushing hard to sign 21-year-old Croatian centre-back Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig, both Laporte and the club feel his time in Manchester has come to an end.
The likes of Barcelona, Juventus and Saudi Arabian clubs have been linked with the 29-year-old, but it’s his former team who are plotting an unexpected bid to sign him.
Is Laporte set for a homecoming?
According to Patxo de la Rica, Laporte could make an unexpected return to Bilbao.
On Tuesday the journalist tweeted: “What a few months ago was just a dream is taking shape.
“Athletic is very serious about him [Laporte] and it is becoming more and more real. Main objective of the summer.
“Slow fire operation. No hurry. Increasingly optimistic although aware of the difficulties.”
Those difficulties are likely financial in nature, with the Basque club needing to submit a suitable offer for Laporte.
City are reportedly determined not to accept an offer of less than €30m.
However, the fact that Laporte only has two years left on his contract, added to City’s desperation to sell, means the Premier League champions have less leverage at the negotiating table.
Laporte would also likely need to take a significant pay cut to make a homecoming viable.
Laporte is a product of Bilbao’s academy system and his family maintains strong ties with the Basque city.
