Barcelona, Tottenham interested in out-of-favour Manchester City defender

Manchester City might be on course to seal an incredible treble this season, with the English giants in contention to win UEFA Champions League, the FA Cup and the Premier League as we head towards the final stretch of the season.

However, as reported by The Times, Man City will soon shift their focus on the market once the season is over. And as part of their rejig, they could potentially offload Aymeric Laporte in the coming summer.

The former Athletic Club starlet has fallen out of favour under Pep Guardiola this season. He has featured in just ten Premier League matches this term, falling behind the likes of Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji and Ruben Dias in the pecking order.

Laporte has no shortage of suitors either, with Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur closely monitoring the situation of the defender, who has two years left on his contract at the Etihad.

Barça have been linked with a move for Laporte for a long time now. The Spaniard’s technical ability, coupled with his exposure to La Liga had made him an ideal candidate to replace Gerard Pique in the long run. But a move never quite materialised.

However, as we approach the summer transfer window, Barça could be in a position to make a move for the 28-year-old, as part of Xavi’s plans to reinforce the defensive unit. The club notably had to deal with the retirement of Gerard Pique at the end of last year while Eric Garcia has failed to assert himself since joining from Man City.

Even though the first-choice centre-backs have done extremely well under Xavi, the Barça coach still requires some long-term depth and that is where Laporte could come into the fray.

However, Barça must be wary of the competition from Tottenham, who have curiously been linked with a permanent move for Clement Lenglet. Not to mention, Man City may ask for a considerable transfer premium for the defender, which might make matters complicated, as far as Barça are concerned.