Aymeric Laporte: Manchester City target set to travel to England to complete move

Aymeric Laporte (middle) has been a regular in La Liga since 2012-13

Athletic Bilbao defender Aymeric Laporte is set to travel to England on Monday to complete his club record move to Manchester City.

Laporte's £57m release clause has been paid, ending his contract with Bilbao and allowing him to have his medical and complete his transfer.

After Bilbao announced the player was leaving, Laporte posted a farewell message to fans on social media.

The 23-year-old said his exit was "ahead of a new challenge".

Should the deal go through it would take City's spending on defenders since the end of last season to £190m.

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The club's existing transfer record is the £55m paid for midfielder Kevin de Bruyne in 2015.

Laporte has played 19 times for France at Under-21 level but is yet to win a full cap.

The unreliability of skipper Vincent Kompany because of injury and manager Pep Guardiola's uncertainty over the ability of Eliaquim Mangala had led him to believe an extra central-defensive option was required in addition to current first choices John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi.

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