Manchester City have received an offer from Al-Nassr for centre-back Aymeric Laporte, but the player is still assessing his options, 90min understands.
The 29-year-old, who signed from Athletic Club in 2018 for a club-record £57m fee at the time, has been a key part of Pep Guardiola’s side in recent years, but has fallen down the pecking order over the last year or so.
Last season, both Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake were preferred during their treble-winning campaign, and the club have recently brought in another left-sided defender, Josko Gvardiol, from RB Leipzig to further add to his competition.
Sources have confirmed to 90min that Al-Nassr have made a bid for Laporte and Man City would sanction a sale, but the player wants to see what other options are out there for him. He is ultimately open to a move to Saudi Arabia, though.
90min understands that Aston Villa retain an interest in Laporte – he was in fact a target before they opted to sign Pau Torres from Villarreal earlier this summer.
Villa would welcome another addition to their backline after Tyrone Mings suffered a serious knee injury during their 5-1 loss against Newcastle at St. James’ Park in their opening match of the season.
A club statement earlier this week read: “Aston Villa can confirm that Tyrone Mings has sustained a significant knee injury.
“The England international was stretchered off from the field after damaging his knee during the first half of Villa’s match at Newcastle United on Saturday.
“The defender has undergone scans and will unfortunately require surgery ahead of a lengthy rehabilitation process.”
Villa will be playing European football this season after finishing seventh in the Premier League to qualify for the Conference League, and so could do with extra bodies to rotate.
Tottenham also showed an interest in Laporte this summer before eventually settling on Wolfsburg’s Micky van de Ven as their marquee defensive signing.