Manchester City has officially parted ways with a former star defender in the vein of Spanish international Aymeric Laporte as he becomes the latest to join the exodus to the Roshn Saudi League with domestic giants Al-Nassr.
The 29-year-old French-born Spanish international closes the book on six full seasons at the Etihad where, despite injury issues, was a key cog in the wheel for Pep Guardiola while banking thirteen major honors.
Per Fabrizio Romano, Laporte officially completed his medical and is now on his way to Riyadh to join Luís Castro’s Faris Najd at Al-Awwal Park on a three-year contract.
Aymeric Laporte has completed medical tests as new Al Nassr player today in Dubai. 🟡🔵🇸🇦 #AlNassr
Laporte will now travel to Riyadh, flight ready — three year deal approved, it’s all signed and sealed.
Here we go, confirmed. pic.twitter.com/JHUgK7Q72o
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 23, 2023
Laporte becomes the sixth summer signing that has joined Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo at the Saudi giants, following in the wake of new arrivals Otávio, Sadio Mané, Seko Fofana, Marcelo Brozović, and Alex Telles.
The arrival of star Croatian defender Joško Gvardiol was certainly a tell-tale sign of Laporte’s future at the Etihad coming to an end given the number of defensive options that Pep Guardiola now has at his disposal in the northwest of England, but it is also a signal to the rest of the footballing world that Saudi Arabia’s rapid development of their sporting project is here to stay as the Gulf Kingdom looks to sign at least fifty players this summer.
Having already eclipsed the 30-player mark, there appears to be no signs of the financial steamroller slowing down in the coming weeks.
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