Arsenal are potentially looking to bring in Aymeric Laporte this summer according to The Mirror. The central defender has been in fine form all season for Athletic Bilbao and is widely seen as one of the most promising youngsters in La Liga.
The defender joined Bilbao from Baskonia in 2012 moving into their youth squad. However, his talents quickly allowed him to move into the senior team where he has since made 50 league appearances and helped his side claim and Champions League place for next season.
The youngster has also played at every level of France’s youth national team, gaining his first cap for the under 17 side in 2011.
Any deal for the 20 year old would likely cost around £30 million, as that is the buyout clause listed in his contract, according to the report. His deal still has a number of years left to run adding to the difficulty in pushing through a cheaper deal.
They may also face tough competition from both Bayern Munich and Barcelona to secure his services. Both of those clubs are known to be looking for central defenders.
Although a central defender is not one of the areas that is most pressing for strengthening for Arsenal, it remains an area that is in need of depth. The departure of Bacary Sagna, who can play across the back four, means that the club only has three established centre backs.
While they are all still relatively young and are signed to long term contracts, Thomas Vermaelen has also been linked with a move away from North London.
