Aymeric Laporte

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ninjamonkey said:
This leaves us short at the back too in numbers if not quality. Walker, dias, stones, akanji, ake, gvardiol, lewis, that's 7 for 4 positions, there's gomez but hes never ever getting a game at the back this season. you'd typically have at least 8, maybe 9 defenders in the squad, especially when one is only 18 and a few others get regular injuries. Squad is dangerously thin everywhere, can't help but feel its going to seriously bite us in thr arse in a season where we will play more games than ever if it goes well.
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I can't see us bringing in anyone until Cancelo and Laporte are gone.
THB is still with us.
 
ninjamonkey said:
This leaves us short at the back too in numbers if not quality. Walker, dias, stones, akanji, ake, gvardiol, lewis, that's 7 for 4 positions, there's gomez but hes never ever getting a game at the back this season. you'd typically have at least 8, maybe 9 defenders in the squad, especially when one is only 18 and a few others get regular injuries. Squad is dangerously thin everywhere, can't help but feel its going to seriously bite us in thr arse in a season where we will play more games than ever if it goes well.
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For four positions? We more or less played with 3 defenders for the last half of last season.

In the run-in I felt that we could just about afford one injury in a few areas of the pitch. The worst though would have been Rodri injured at the same time as Stones. That's still a bit of an issue, but maybe slightly better now due to Kovacic being here.

We can't cover for every possibility though, we'd have to have a huge squad and that would bring other problems.
 
Would have loved to have seen him in the John Stones role. Best of luck to him, never complained, been excellent for us.
 
Still a top defender and always reliable, it seems he had limited choicse as we apparentley wouldn't sell to certain clubs. Good luck to the lad.
 
jrb said:
What a waste. Can't believe there isn't a top club in Europe who aren't interested in him.
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I am surprised West Ham didn't go for him instead of that donkey Maguire. Laporte is still better than most centre backs in the PL but we have world class players like Stones and Dias ahead of him so I understand why he has to move.
 
Great player for us, not going to get game time with us so understand his wanting to leave. Hope we get decent money for him, he gets decent money for himself, and he leaves with my gratitude and best wishes.
 
ninjamonkey said:
This leaves us short at the back too in numbers if not quality. Walker, dias, stones, akanji, ake, gvardiol, lewis, that's 7 for 4 positions, there's gomez but hes never ever getting a game at the back this season. you'd typically have at least 8, maybe 9 defenders in the squad, especially when one is only 18 and a few others get regular injuries. Squad is dangerously thin everywhere, can't help but feel its going to seriously bite us in thr arse in a season where we will play more games than ever if it goes well.
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To be fair, we thought this last season and it ended up doing the exact opposite.

Walker, Stones, Dias, Ake
Lewis, Akanji, Gvardiol, Gomez

Just as strong as the options we had last season, if not stronger if you consider Lewis' development and Gvardiol coming in for Laporte.
 
not my fault! said:
I think this belief is a tad rude and disingenuous to the Saudi League to be honest. I get it’s not currently the first thought on everyone’s mind but it reminds me of the IPL, to be a league taken seriously they need quality players. To get those players they are offering crazy deals and privileges. It won’t take long for people to start to take it seriously.
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Doesn’t each team need to play a certain number of Saudi players? So, the league will remain shite if each has to play 4/5 domestic players. The 14th best centre back in the Saudi league marking Neymar is just silly. The domestic saudi players will be conference standard at best.
 
fulabeer said:
After a couple of seasons when he was our best defender, it is sad that he faded away.
Not sure if it was injuries or confidence, but new signings didn't help.

I still rate him as amongst the best.
I have routed for him to make a comeback, which sadly never came.

If/when he does leave, he gets my total thanks for everything he has done at City.
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After Otamendi and Kompany came to their ends, I thought Stones and Laporte would be like Chiellini and Bonnucci and play together until 2026 at the back for City. It felt like we didn’t need anyone else.

But we also signed Dias and Aké who have grown into the best two defenders at the club.

Little things can swing a career, and while Laporte has won us trophies (winning goal in the final game at Brighton in 2019, EFL Cup final winning goal v Spurs) and been a big part in others (Centurions season, clawing back Liverpool in 2022), he also has some mistakes in him (Spurs CL, Lyon CL) that players like Dias and Aké just don’t seem to have in them.

As you say though, a huge thanks for all he’s done. Was sad to see him so upset after we lifted the PL trophy last season but he’ll go on to earn a shitload of money after getting medals for everything in the game now.
 
Not the mostly likely of destinations but at leat they are matching what our valuation is for Eric.
 
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