If it is a sign of the defensive strength in depth available to Pep Guardiola that they are able to let Laporte - who travelled to Al Nassr yesterday ahead of a £23.5m switch to the Saudi Premier League - go, there were several points during the player's five years in Manchester where he was one of the first names on the teamsheet. Just as Ilkay Gundogan could leave knowing he had played an instrumental role in winning Premier League titles, so too can Laporte.
Identified by Guardiola as a key target back in 2016, Laporte enjoyed the rare distinction of being a player that turned the manager down but was deemed good enough to go back for. He signed halfway through the Centurions season and quickly showed why the club were so keen.
Despite having signed 18 months after John Stones, Laporte displayed the mix of style, grit and class that embodied being a defender in a Guardiola side.
Denne historien er fra August 22, 2023-utgaven av Manchester Evening News.
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Denne historien er fra August 22, 2023-utgaven av Manchester Evening News.
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