Is Aymeric Laporte Off To Manchester United? The Latest Development

Spanish football expert Guillem Balague has confirmed that Manchester United will not continue chasing Athletic Bilbao’s centre-half Aymeric Laporte, as the Premier League club do not want to meet his €50m valuation.

Balague reports that Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich are very keen on Laporte and they will not be rivaled by United who have now decided to back out after learning of the defender’s huge price-tag.

Laporte has a €50m release clause at Bilbao, and he is one of the La Liga side’s best defenders and also a first-choice centre-back. Hence, the club will not want to part ways with the French footballer.

In a Sky Sports Q & A, Balague said: “Laporte is wanted by Bayern Munich.

“He improved his contract and now his buy out clause is 50 million euros which Athletic Bilbao will not negotiate.”

” I feel Manchester United do not feel he is worth that money.”

Manchester United supremo Ed Woodward watched Laporte as Athletic Bilbao defeated Barcelona in the second leg of the Spanish Super Cup earlier in August, as the Red Devils lost out on the signings of Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos – who has penned a fresh five-year deal at the Santiago Bernabeu and Valencia’s defence leader Nicolas Otamendi, who joined Manchester City instead.

Laporte is seen as one of the best young defenders in Europe, and he recently signed a new deal with Los Leones which has now increased his buy-out clause to around €50m which equates to £36.5m. He is now contracted to the Basque side until 2019.

It appears absurd as to why United have not gone in for the France Under-21 defender because he is left-footed and United boss Louis van Gaal wants a left-footed left-sided centre-back, and this is evident in his deployment of compatriot Daley Blind at centre-back.

Now Manchester United could end up not signing a top defender before the transfer window is slammed shut, and this could haunt them.