Real Madrid are reportedly keeping a close watch on the situation of French defender Aymeric Laporte, who has lost his place in the Manchester City lineup this season.
According to an exclusive report from the Daily Star, Real Madrid are lining up a summer move for Manchester City star Aymeric Laporte as Zinedine Zidane eyes defensive reinforcements ahead of the next season.
Laporte burst onto the scenes at La Liga outfit Athletic Bilbao before making the switch to Manchester City in January 2018. During his time at the club, the Frenchman has accumulated 98 appearances across all competitions and had grown into an integral member of the team under Pep Guardiola.
However, this season has seen the 26-year-old drop down the pecking order at the Etihad Stadium. Indeed, the arrival of Ruben Dias and the resurgence of John Stones has seen the duo establish themselves as the first-choice centre-back pairing, with their partnership playing a key role in the Cityzens’ push for the title. This has resulted in Laporte featuring just 14 times in all competitions.
And, Laporte’s situation has piqued the interest of Real Madrid. The reigning La Liga champions have endured a difficult season this time out and will be in for a major rebuild this summer. Defence is an area where Zinedine Zidane & co. must invest, as clouds of uncertainty loom large over the future of club captain and icon Sergio Ramos.
The veteran Spanish international is in the final few months of his contract and with talks of a renewal not going as per plans, there is a good chance that Ramos’ time at the Santiago Bernabeu could be drawing to a close. In addition, the likes of Eder Militao and Nacho haven’t always been reliable, thus warranting the addition of a new central defender come summer.
Sevilla defensive mainstay Jules Kounde has been identified as a potential replacement for Ramos while a number of other players have been linked as well. Now, Laporte, too, has popped up on their radar, with the Manchester City star’s situation presenting them with a chance of making a swoop in the upcoming transfer window.
Any move would depend on whether Laporte’s game-time improves over the second half of the campaign. Should that situation remain unchanged, the 26-year-old, whose deal with the Cityzens runs till the summer of 2025, will keep his options open. It will now be interesting to see whether Real Madrid move for the Frenchman or look elsewhere to bolster their defensive unit.