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TRANSFERS
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Arsenal make SHOCK move for Saudi star
Carlo Garganese
- Updated: 17 Jun 2025 09:08 BST
- 4 min read
News
Arsenal have made a shock move for former Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte.
AS report that the Gunners have made contact with Al-Nassr about potentially signing the Spanish centre back.
Laporte left Man City in 2023 in order to move to the big-spending and big-paying Saudi Pro League.
He earns a whopping €25 million per season in Saudi Arabia but is now keen to move back to Europe ahead of the World Cup, with one year left on his Al-Nassr contract.
Laporte back to Europe?
Arsenal have been told that to sign Laporte they will have to pay a transfer fee.
The Gunners are in the market for a centre back this summer as there are doubts over some of their backups, including Jakub Kiwior.
Arsenal manager is a fan of Laporte, having worked with him at Man City under Pep Guardiola.
Arsenal are not the only interested club in Laporte as former side Athletic Bilbao, Marseille, Inter Milan and Aston Villa have all contacted the player’s entourage.
Laporte is a graduate of Lezama, the famous Athletic Club de Bilbao youth academy. He played 222 times for the Basque side, scoring 10 goals and even winning the 2015 Spanish Super Cup over Barcelona.
Laporte then moved to Man City in 2018 where he became a pillar of Pep Guardiola's defensive line, winning the Premier League five times and many other trophies including a Domestic Treble in 2019 and England's second-ever Continental Treble in 2023.
At the age of 31, he is still in his peak for a central defender.
He was linked to a mid-season move to Real Madrid this past season when they were going through an injury crisis but the transfer never happened.
He may now make his return to Europe during this summer window.
Laporte has won 40 caps for Spain and played a key role in every knockout match as they won Euro 2024 last year.
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