Former Manchester City centre-back Aymeric Laporte has expressed strong interest in a potential move to Real Madrid.

Laporte emerged as a transfer target for the Spanish champions after Eder Militao was struck down by a horrific knee injury during Saturday’s victory over Osasuna. The Brazilian centre-back joined a treatment room crowded with defenders. Dani Carvajal will join Militao on the sidelines for the rest of the season, while David Alaba is still recovering from an ACL tear of his own.

This proliferation of defensive absentees has forced Madrid to seriously consider dipping into the January transfer window for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. A return for former club captain Sergio Ramos was contemplated and swiftly quashed, leaving the experienced figure of Laporte as a prime candidate.

The 30-year-old centre-back moved to Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League last year, but retained enough form and fitness to earn a starting spot in Luis de la Fuente’s Spain squad at Euro 2024.

When the continental champion was quizzed on a potential return to La Liga during the November international break, he told El Larguero: “A call from Madrid? Sounds good. I would listen to the call.

“Obviously, you don’t look down on teams like Real Madrid.”

Laporte has expressed his issues with the Saudi top flight in the past. During a candid interview in January, the Al Nassr centre-back revealed that the club “haven’t made it easy” for European arrivals.

The five-time Premier League champion left City in 2023 for a sum of £23.6m. Madrid were interested in Laporte last summer, but came up against the obstacle of a lofty transfer fee. The former Athletic Club defender was reportedly willing to accept a pay-cut, although Al Nassr’s asking price regarding a potential move in January remains to be seen.

Real Madrid are also interested in RB Leipzig’s Castello Lukeba and have also been linked with Bayer Leverkusen’s Bundesliga champion Jonathan Tah.

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