Alexis Sanchez used us at Udinese to get a move to Barcelona.
We went back twice more after.
Didn't Laporte also have a rethink, but after a broken leg?
Sanchez to City/Barça came about during a period where we were an emerging force & they were the best football team in the history of football (imho). When he was moving to Arsenal, we were capped by FFP.
ManUre jumped ahead of us on our final known attempt for Sanchez & he tried to renegotiate our agreed deal to match the crazy wages ManUre had offered, so we walked away.
FDJ seemed different. Not so much trying to renegotiate a deal, but rather changed his mind once the great Barcelona stepped in & figures had been agreed with FDJ & Ajax. Word has it that FDJ was even looking for property in Cheshire, & all was good until Barça showed their hand.
As for Laporté, iirc he was injured at the time we made a bid & Bilboa & Bilboa were having a crucial season where they needed Laporté.
Laporté reportedly told us he wasn't quite ready to move to the PL for those reasons & he felt he owed Bilbao loyalty in their time of need, for giving him a chance. Apparently he told us if we could wait 18 months or so & still wanted him & could agree a deal with Bilbao, then he'd be happy to come.
Also, would City lose FDJ over his £17m deferred wages? Surely we could have agreed a lower fee with Barça to include the £17m, which they could payoff FDJ with? Surely then Barça would have the funds to match our £85m valuation for Bernardo meaning everyone's happy?
It's all speculation & no one really knows the real ins & outs of this outside of the parties involved. I've not seen any strong reports of City interest in FDJ since he moved to Barça, so all things considered it seems we're not currently actively in for the player... That's what I can make of the situation...