City sign Aymeric Laporte for a club record £57m

French defender signs contract until 2023

City have completed the signing of Athletic Bilbao defender Aymeric Laporte for a club record £57m. The French centre-half almost joined the Blues in 2016, but had a last-minute change of heart and extended his contract at Bilbao.

He becomes Pep Guardiola's sixth signing of the season, and will wear the number 14 shirt vacated by Wilfried Bony. It is now thought that Eliaquim Mangala will move to Newcastle on loan for the rest of the season.

“I am very happy to be here,” Laporte said. “City are a Club with a lot of ambition and they are one of the best teams in Europe. I am looking forward to working under Pep Guardiola and trying to help the Club to achieve success.

“It means a lot that the Club have shown faith in me and I am excited to get started.”

Txiki Begiristain, City’s Director of Football, stated: “We are delighted to have signed Aymeric.

“We have assessed defensive options and he is a player we have admired for a long time.

“With his quality and ability to play out from the back, we feel Aymeric will fit in perfectly with Pep Guardiola’s playing style.”