BREAKING: Premier league manager REJECTS Arsenal interest in their world-class defender in a bid to replace Jurrien Timber, Arteta is UNHAPPY

Premier league manager REJECTS Arsenal interest in their world-class defender in a bid to replace Jurrien Timber

‘From what I heard’: Club now reluctant to sell £57m player to Arsenal – Fabrizio RomanoPhoto byMichael Regan

Manchester City do not want to sell Aymeric Laporte to Arsenal this summer.

That is according to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Speaking on his YouTube channel about Arsenal‘s interest in Aymeric Laporte, he said: “At the beginning of the market, they looked at the possibility to bring in one more centre-back, a traditional centre-back.

“A player they really appreciate is Aymeric Laporte. This is true but, from what I heard, Man City didn’t want to sell one more player to Arsenal. They prefer a different destination for Laporte.”

Earlier this month, the Daily Mirror reported that Arsenal were monitoring Laporte’s situation at City, but it now looks like they will find it difficult to get him out of the Etihad before the transfer window closes.

Manchester City’s stance is not shocking
You can understand City’s reluctance to sell Laporte to Arsenal this summer. Pep Guardiola allowed Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko to join the Gunners last year and it almost cost his side the title.

Jesus and Zinchenko helped Mikel Arteta’s men to finish second in the Premier League and just five points behind their former team.

With that in mind, do City really want to make their rivals any stronger? If not, then they cannot sell Laporte to Arsenal, whose defence would improve with his arrival.

The 29-year-old, who cost his current employers £57m, is obviously a quality defender. He did not play too often in the Premier League last season, but he managed to win two aerial duels per game (WhoScored), more than any of his team-mates bar Rodri (minimum of five matches played).

City’s unwillingness to sell Laporte will probably come as bad news to Arteta, but it is testament to the Spaniard and his team that the European champions are reluctant to do business with them. It is quite clear that they are now viewed as a serious threat.