Aymeric Laporte lost his place in Manchester City’s starting lineup following the arrival of Rúben Dias last summer.
The 27-year-old was restricted to only 14 league starts and the lack of playing time with the Citizens has convinced him to leave the Etihad.
That’s according to a ‘confidential’ report from Sport, who explain the defender now ‘wants to come to’ Barcelona.
Having lost prominence under Pep Guardiola’s orders, the centre-back ‘will seek to be transferred’ to the Catalan club this summer, and he’s allegedly ‘putting pressure’ on the Premier League winners to get a move to the Camp Nou.
The France-born Spain international is aware the operation will be ‘difficult, but not impossible’, due to the La Liga side’s economic situation.
The big problem here is that the former Athletic Bilbao man’s market value is much higher than what Barca can spend on his signing.
Laporte’s currently with Spain preparing for the first European championship tie against Sweden later on Monday, so he is currently ‘focused’ on Euro 2020, but ‘also contemplates’ the possibility of joining Ronald Koeman’s side.
Guardiola’s man is aware making a switch to Barca is complicated, but he ‘wants to try’ and ‘do everything in his power to make it happen’.
The two sides share a good relationship, and a possible exchange operation could be considered.
That means for now, ‘absolutely nothing can be ruled out’.
