MANCHESTER: Manchester City signed France under-21 international Aymeric Laporte from Athletic Bilbao for a club-record fee of 65 million euros ($80 million) on Tuesday, taking their spending on center-backs since 2014 to about $250 million.

The 23-year-old Laporte came close to joining City in 2016 when Pep Guardiola took charge of the current Premier League leaders but backed out of the move after feeling the Frenchman wasn’t quite ready.

Eighteen months later, City clinched the signing of the left-footed, ball-playing defender after meeting his buy-out clause, strengthening the team’s options in what has been a problem position for Guardiola and previous managers.

“He’s strong in the air, good quality with the pass. He is experienced, fast and he has the skills we need,” Guardiola said.

“He is the perfect age, 23 years old, so hopefully he will have a long career here at Manchester City.”

Laporte is the second most expensive defender in football history, with only Virgil van Dijk who joined Liverpool from Southampton for 75 million pounds ($100 million) at the start of January costing more.

Laporte has signed a contract until 2023 and becomes City’s most expensive player, with the fee exceeding the reported 55 million pounds spent on Kevin De Bruyne in August 2015.

City have four of the five costliest defenders in Premier League history Laporte, Stones, Walker, and Mendy.

Laporte, who hasn’t played for France’s senior team, will be available for the knockout stage of the Champions League.

“All I know,” he said in an Instagram message to Athletic’s fans on Monday, “is that I will never forget the place where I’ve become a better player and a better person. That’s why this is not a ‘goodbye,’ only a ‘see you soon.’”

Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2018