Aymeric Laporte, a cornerstone of Manchester City’s defense, has made a significant move to Saudi Arabia, specifically to Al-Nassr, in a deal worth a staggering £23 million ($29 million). The seasoned Spain centre-back enjoyed an illustrious run with the city, securing an impressive collection of 12 major honors during his tenure.
Despite his triumphant track record, Laporte faced periods of being out of favor throughout City’s triumphant treble-winning season. The signing of Croatian defender Josko Gvardiol during the off-season further limited his opportunities for consistent playing time.
Notably, Laporte is the latest luminary from City to opt for a lucrative transition to the Gulf State, following in the footsteps of Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez, who recently embraced a new chapter with Al-Ahli.
Having donned Manchester City’s colors since his arrival from Athletic Bilbao in January 2018 for a club-record fee of £57 million, Laporte racked up an impressive 180 appearances for the club.
In expressing his sentiments, Laporte shared, “I am proud to have represented Manchester City over the last six seasons. When I first joined, I was excited about the prospect of winning trophies. However, I could not have imagined the success we would go on to achieve together. I would like to thank the coaches, my teammates, and of course the brilliant City fans for all of their support throughout my time in Manchester. I will always be a City fan and I look forward to seeing you all again.”
Laporte’s distinguished career at City encompassed five Premier League titles, a Champions League victory, and five domestic cups as part of Pep Guardiola’s formidable squad. He now prepares to join forces with global football icons Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane, converging at the Saudi Pro League entity Al-Nassr.
This move occurs in the context of Al-Nassr being one of the four Saudi clubs that underwent a change in ownership through the Public Investment Fund (PIF) in June, subsequently triggering a wave of high-profile signings from the Premier League and other top divisions across Europe. Among the notable names secured by Saudi clubs are Brazilian forward Neymar and French talents Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante. The influx of stars also encompasses Roberto Firmino, Jordan Henderson, Kalidou Koulibaly, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Alex Telles, and Ruben Neves, cementing the Kingdom’s emergence as a major player in the global football landscape.