Aston Villa told main target priority as Man City star ‘hints’ at transfer

Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte has reportedly indicated his preferred transfer destination amid interest from Aston Villa and his home country, Spain.

The centre-back has won a remarkable five Premier League titles in five-and-a-half seasons for Pep Guardiola’s side since joining in January 2018 but saw a heavy reduction in game time last term.

Injuries certainly didn’t help his case, but even when he was fit and available again, the likes of Manuel Akanji, John Stones and Nathan Ake got in to partner Ruben Dias. This led to just 12 league appearances for Laporte.

Taking on a new challenge could be the next step for the 29-year-old and Aston Villa hold a strong interest as a result, but securing his services could be tricky with plenty of competition.

According to Football Insider, the Villans are “considering a move” for the City defender as the player “ticks a lot of boxes for Unai Emery”, including the ability to play as a left-sided centre-half.

The report states, however, that Laporte has hinted he wants to play Champions League football next season as a key priority. It’s also claimed he would rather head back to Spain if he does indeed depart the Etihad Stadium.

That doesn’t make it impossible for Villa, though, as the pull of Emery is strong and the project is clear for all to see. The arrival of Monchi as president of football operations could also have an impact in that regard.

If the Villans can indeed convince Laporte to join, it goes without saying that he would be a remarkable coup. The defender has 179 City appearances to his name as well as 14 titles, including the 2022/23 Champions League.