In-demand £30m rated Man Utd and Arsenal target refuses to rule out leaving Spain

Aymeric Laporte
Aymeric Laporte

Aymeric Laporte

In-demand Athletic Bilbao centre-back Laporte has refused to rule out a move to Manchester United or Arsenal, who have reportedly been tracking the rising star.

The 20-year-old has impressed in La Liga over recent seasons, resulting in him being tipped for a move to England. The French U-21 star, though, has a release clause of £30m, which may be prohibitive for a player who has yet fully proved himself.

United’s problems at the back have been well documented this season with boss Louis van Gaal frustrated at the number of injuries to key defenders throughout the campaign. While he resisted dipping into the transfer market during the January transfer window he is likely to bolster this area of his side in the summer when more options will be available.

However, in an interview with Spanish newspaper AS, Laporte says he is happy where he is but feels there is still a lot more to come from him.

“The manager trusts in me. I’m very happy and grateful. The team are good. Last game we lost was against Barcelona. We have improved a lot since the beginning of the campaign when we struggled to get our best form. We are now more solid and excited about the future,” he said. “One can always improve. Personally, I still have much to learn.”

Asked whether he would be open to a move, he said: “Here there are many players with great experience and I can learn a lot. [As players] we play the games and that’s it. I’m focused on what I’m doing.”

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