Aymeric Laporte is enduring his most stop-start season since joining Pep Guardiola at Manchester City in 2018, which has put his future in Manchester in doubt.
The 28-year-old has made only seven Premier League appearances this season, 15 across all competitions, after knee surgery last summer meant he wasn’t available for the opening matches of the 2022/23 season.
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As reported by FootMercato, the Spanish international was on the radar of Barcelona as a possible replacement for Gerard Pique, which could be another way he moves away from the Etihad Stadium.
With Manuel Akanji, Ruben Dias, John Stones and Nathan Ake all being preferred when available this season, Laporte could find himself even further down the pecking order if City’s pursuit of Joško Gvardiol is successful this summer.
Laporte has seen himself as a ‘luxury substitute’ under Guardiola this season after being pivotal in previous seasons’ success, non more so than playing a crucial role in their successful Premier League title defence in 2018/19.
Just over three years ago, he suffered a knee injury keeping him out for under five months, missing 31 games in the process.
Still, with the possibility of Gvardiol moving to the Etihad Stadium, a change this summer would align with the general plans across the first-team playing squad, with a significant overhaul anticipated.
