5 Things to Know About Manchester City's New Club Record Signing Aymeric Laporte

Aymeric Laporte completed his move from Athletic Bilbao to Manchester City after six seasons with the Basque side. At just the tender age of 23, he became one of the highly-rated defenders in La Liga, eventually prompting a move abroad.

He joins Pep Guardiola's expensive crop of defenders, but his arrival was enough to break the club's transfer record fee at £57m. 

For all the City fans itching to see their new man in the sky blue colours, here are 5 things you should know about Laporte?

5. He Had an Unlikely Role Model

You probably know Laporte as a central defender, but during the era of Marcelo Bielsa at Bilbao, Laporte spent time playing left-back - something you'll be sure Guardiola will look to utilise down the line at City.

However, in his younger years, when he was starting his precocious footballing career, Laporte played as a striker. 

Before he would go on to command the defensive lines later in his career, he would spear-head attacks as junior, moulding his game around former Arsenal forward Sylvain Wiltord, who was his peculiar role model.

4. It's All In The DNA

Athletic Bilbao are traditionally known for only having players born from the Basque region. 

Thus, when Laporte joined the club at the age of 15 years old it caused local controversy. However, it was later revealed that his great-grandparents had Basque blood in them.

Scandal averted, and having worked his way through the youth set-up, Laporte made his first appearance at senior level at the age of 19 in the 2012/13 season. 

In his first full season being part of the first-team setup he earned himself a place in the La Liga team of the year for the 2013-14 season.  

3. He's All About the Silverware

Having already established himself as a mainstay in the Athletic first team, Laporte repaid the faith instilled in him by helping the club break their barren run without a trophy.

Laporte was an integral part of the squad that helped defeat Barcelona 5-1 on aggregate in the 2015 Spanish Super Cup, which provided the club's first trophy in 31 years.

2. Who Took My International Cap?

Despite being the club's record signing, Laporte has yet to receive an international cap for the French national team. With Raphael Varane, Laurent Koscielny and Samuel Umtiti ahead of him in the pecking order for Didier Deschamps team, Laporte has found it hard to break into the lineup.

Though, he has featured for France at youth level. The centre-back has played 19 times for France at Under-21 level, where he also captained Les Bleus at U21 and U17 level.

With his high-profile move to Manchester City, perhaps his first cap for France isn't too far away. 

1. If at First You Don't Succeed...

So Laporte finally joins City as the club record signing, but did you know that Pep Guardiola wanted to bring him in a lot sooner?

Arriving in his first season at the City helm back in 2016, Guardiola immediately wanted to strengthen the defence, and had eyes to bring in Laporte. His arrival was supposed to pair up with newly-acquired John Stones at the heart of the City defence.

However, the Frenchman opted out of the deal, feeling as though the step up to a bigger club was too soon in his career. He decided to stay at Bilbao, signing a new contract and hoping to ripen his talents.