August 23, (THEWILL) – Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte has confirmed his departure from the English Premier League champions, announcing on social media that he is set to join Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr.
The 28-year-old Spaniard will link up with former EPL stars Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane and Alex Telles after five successful seasons at the Etihad Stadium. In an emotional goodbye message to City fans, Laporte reflected on the “unforgettable” highs and lows of his time in Manchester. He thanked the club for the opportunity and the fans for their support during his injury layoffs.
THEWILL recalls that Laporte arrived at City from Athletic Bilbao in 2018 and went on to make over 150 appearances, winning four EPL titles. However, injuries and strong competition saw his playing time reduced over the past two seasons. His impending move to the Middle East ends a successful spell in England, where he established himself as one of the league’s top centre-backs.
Al Nassr will be hoping Laporte’s pedigree and experience can help continue their rapid rise under new coach Rudi Garcia. He joins a growing contingent of elite players who have made big-money moves to Saudi Arabia, following Ronaldo, Mane and others.
His departure leaves a hole in Pep Guardiola’s squad that the EPL champions will aim to fill this summer. For now, Laporte departs with the well-wishes of the City faithful after contributing immense success during his stay.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
