Laporte's Real Madrid transfer stance revealed

Muhammad Butt
  • 14 Nov 2024 09:00 CST
  • 4 min read
Aymeric Laporte and the Real Madrid crest
© IMAGO

Former Manchester City centre-back Aymeric Laporte has made a statement about recent transfer rumours linking him with a move to Real Madrid.

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Los Blancos are currently in the middle of an injury crisis at centre-back, and there have been rumours linking them with a January move for a central defender, one of which happens to be Spanish international Aymeric Laporte.

When asked about the rumours, the 30 year-old Laporte answered: "I've read the same things as everybody else. It sounds good."

"Obviously, you don't look down on teams like Real Madrid."

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So, while Laporte doesn't seem to know much about the transfer rumours, he definitely seems open to the idea of joining Real Madrid in the January transfer window, as he later expounded:

"I've said it many times, my idea is to return to Europe," Laporte added. "I went there [to Saudi Arabia] to play football [...] while I've been there. I've won a European Championship, which is the most beautiful thing that has happened in my career."

Laporte was fundamental to Spain's win at Euro 2024 where he showed that, despite playing in the Saudi Pro League, he very much had the quality to perform against the very best players Europe has to offer.

Aymeric Laporte was crucial for Spain as they won Euro 2024.
© IMAGO - Aymeric Laporte was crucial for Spain as they won Euro 2024.

Laporte could ease Real Madrid's injury crisis

That kind of quality is exactly what Real Madrid need right now. With Nacho departed for his own Saudi Pro League adventure, David Alaba still on the way back from his ACL tear last season and Eder Militao tragically struck down by his second ACL tear in as many years, Madrid are incredibly thin at centre-back.

Antonio Rudiger is the club's only fit senior central defender, and the club has recently had to call-up their youth teamer Raul Asencio who is not without his own controversies.

Eder Militao has ruptured his ACL again.
© IMAGO - Eder Militao has ruptured his ACL again.

Signing Laporte in January would bring a player of immense quality and leadership to the Santiago Bernabeu. And of course due to his familiarity with Spain and La Liga, there would be no adaptation period for Laporte he would be able to settle in straight away.

Laporte is, of course, a graduate of Lezama the famous Athletic Club de Bilbao youth academy. He 222 times ofr the Basque side, scoring 10 goals and even winning the 2015 Spanish Super Cup over (and this will please the Madridistas) Barcelona.

Laporte then moved to Man City where he became a pillar of Pep Guardiola's defensive line, winning the Premier League five times and many other trophies including a Domestic Treble in 2019 and England's second-ever Continental Treble in 2023.

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