Man City willing to sell defender this summer if replacement can be found

Manchester City can close the gap to Premier League leaders Arsenal to just two points with a win over Crystal Palace on Saturday. 

The Citizens find themselves five points behind The Gunners at present, with 12 matches remaining of what has already be an enthralling Premier League campaign.

Pep Guardiola’s will have plenty to think about ahead of their visit to the capital, with crucial games in both the Premier League and Champions League coming up in the next few weeks.

With that in mind, the Spaniard could rotate his squad against a struggling Eagles side, with the likes of John Stones, Aymeric Laporte and Riyad Mahrez all pushing for a start.

Laporte has struggled with injuries once again this season, and it appears that he could be sold during the upcoming summer transfer window.

According to Football Insider, City would be willing to sell the centre-back this summer, providing they can find a suitable replacement.

Laporte, 28, joined City from Spanish side Athletic Bilbao back in 2018 and impressed instantly, making more than 50 appearances as City cruised to the Premier League title during his first season in England.

Laporte could be on his way out of The Etihad this summer

The following season, the central defender was hampered by injuries, limiting him to just 20 appearances across all competitions.

When fully fit, Laporte remained one of City’s first choice centre-backs, however the likes of Ruben Dias, John Stones, Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake have all been competing for two starting spots at the heart of City’s defence.

The Spain international has only started six league games so far this season, and the report claims that City would be open to the idea of letting him leave.

The player himself is said to be considering his future, but City will not stand in his way if he decides to leave Manchester, providing that their asking price is met.

That figure is said to stand at around £40 million, although the amount could be dictated slightly by the fact that Laporte’s contract runs out in just two years.

One player that City could target if Laporte did leave is RB Leipzig centre-back Josko Gvardiol.

The Croatia international has been impressing in the Bundesliga, and has reportedly attracted interest from a number of top European clubs.

In total, Laporte has made 170 appearances for City, winning 11 trophies including four Premier League titles and the FA Cup.