Premier League leaders Manchester City are set to offer centre-back Aymeric Laporte a new contract with the club, according to a report from the Times.
Laporte joined the reigning Premier League champions from Athletic Bilbao in January 2018, for a fee believed to be worth £57 million, according to BBC Sport.
The 24-year-old’s current contract runs until the summer of 2023, but Pep Guardiola is obviously keen to keep him at the Etihad beyond that date.
Laporte has been a regular figure for City this season, being the only outfield player to play in all of their 27 Premier League matches this season.
And according to the Times, the club’s director of football Txiki Bergirstain has reportedly opened negotiations to extend the Frenchman’s current deal.
For most of the season, Guardiola has fielded Laporte as a central defender, which has seen him form a strong partnership with England international John Stones. Due to City’s injury crisis, however, the former Athletic Bilbao defender has also been deployed as a left-back, and he has proven to be extremely dependable in that position.
Guardiola told reporters earlier this season how highly he rates Laporte, as quoted by the Times:
“He is so professional, so serious and he is playing a good level so that is why we trust [him] a lot. When he goes and drives a little bit to the middle he can play the balls to Riyad [Mahrez], or to Raz [Raheem Sterling] on the right side so he gave us two alternatives to make our game quicker.”
The France international’s consistent performances this season have played a major role behind Manchester City’s relentless quest for what would be a historic quadruple.
And if the Citizens go on to achieve anything like that, Laporte will be more than deserving of a new deal.
