‘Someone very close to him’ – Claims about Manchester City player insisted on, newspaper fights back

Earlier this week, Mundo Deportivo reported Aymeric Laporte is doubting his future at Manchester City, and dreams of a move to Barcelona.

Dani Gil, the Catalan newspaper’s man in Manchester, said someone close to the player had explained Laporte feels frustrated at City, and is worried that he’ll always have someone ahead of him in the running for a starting spot.

The defender then hit back via Twitter.

Laporte clearly insinuated that Gil was lying, and said nobody had spoken to the journalist and that nobody would be speaking to him.

🤥🤥🤥 Dani, nadie ha hablado contigo y nadie hablara contigo https://t.co/N4kDEpex1e

— Aymeric Laporte (@Laporte) June 16, 2021

These things would usually be left, with Mundo perhaps continuing with their claims regardless of what the player had said, but not addressing the denial directly.

Unusually, the newspaper have made a very clear effort to rubbish what Laporte has said, and they seem genuinely annoyed by his reaction.

In their Friday edition, Mundo have a headline stating: ‘MD reaffirms the information on Laporte’

They cover the claims again, about the Spain international not understanding his lack of minutes, and not receiving an explanation from Pep Guardiola. It’s also stated: ‘Although Laporte denied the information through Twitter, the news is contrasted with the most direct environment of him, someone very close to him.’

Mundo’s final sentence doubles down: ‘In any case, MD reaffirms the information about Laporte’

Dani Gil has taken to Twitter to stick up for himself, and stated: ‘With the affection that I have for the experience that I have had with you these years when we have coincided, @Laporte: I have NOT made up any of this information and you know it. Talk to who you have to talk to but don’t put me or @mundodeportivo as liars. Tight hug!’