Tottenham Hotspur were reportedly interested in signing 29-year-old Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte this summer.
Aymeric Laporte has been linked with a move away from Manchester City, with Tottenham Hotspur keen on signing him. But a report by Football Insider claims that the 29-year-old has turned down the move to the North London club.
Laporte is not interested in joining Tottenham. So it will be interesting to see if he ends up staying at Manchester City beyond this summer amid interest from other big-name clubs. The Spanish international struggled for regular first-team action last season and is unlikely to be a regular starter for Pep Guardiola next season either.
It makes sense for him to move on in search of regular playing time, and Tottenham would have been a quality option for him. Spurs need to bring in a top-class defender to partner Cristian Romero. And Laporte would have been a regular starter for them. But it is unclear if Tottenham could have afforded his £120,000-a-week wages.
Ange Postecoglou needs to bring in a quality defender before the window closes, and pursuing a Premier League-proven player like Laporte would have been a smart move. The 29-year-old is well-settled in the Premier League and could have made an immediate impact.
Furthermore, the 29-year-old treble winner is an exceptional passer from the back and would have been the ideal fit for Postecoglou’s attacking philosophy. Spurs conceded 63 goals in the league last season. So they will have to improve in that department if they want to get back into the top four and secure Champions League qualification.
Signing a defender should be their top priority this summer and they have been linked with players like Edmond Tapsoba and Gleison Bremer in recent weeks. Tottenham have the means to sign a quality defender this summer. But the absence of European football could be a major blow. Top players will want to compete in Europe, and Tottenham cannot provide them with that option.
Meanwhile, Laporte has been linked with a move to Barcelona in the past. But it remains to be seen whether the Spanish giants are prepared to provide him with an exit route this summer after signing Inigo Martinez. Barcelona would not have been able to afford his £120,000-a-week wages either.
A player of his quality deserves to play regularly, and Manchester City might not be able to provide him with that platform. The Premier League champions have been linked with a move for Josko Gvardiol in recent weeks and the arrival of the Croatian international will push Laporte further down the pecking order.
