Athletic Bilbao defender Aymeric Laporte has left the door open for a move to Manchester City after Pep Guardiola failed with a summer bid, report the Daily Star.
Laporte has emerged as one of La Liga’s brightest young talents in recent seasons due to his stellar performances for Athletic Bilbao. Though only 22-years-old, he already has 115 appearances under his belt in Spain’s top tier. His good form appears to have caught the eye of City boss Guardiola.
The Daily Star report that Laporte rejected a move to the Etihad in the summer transfer window, instead signing a four-year extension to his Athletic contract. He has, however, suggested that he could make a move if an attractive offer came along: “You have to think about offers and, if new proposals come along, I will study them.”
As per the Daily Star, City parted with as much as £50 million to secure the services of John Stones in the summer after failing to land the Frenchman. They believe that if they are going revisit Laporte, they will have to meet his £55 million release clause.