Manchester United and Arsenal will battle over this French defender…
Premier League rivals Manchester United and Arsenal will go head-to-head over French defender Aymeric Laporte, with both clubs prepared to meet the player’s £32m release clause.
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According to reports in the Daily Express, both clubs are hopeful of landing the 20-year-old, who currently plays in Spain for Athletic Bilbao, for whom he has played 53 league games.
The source suggests that the duo will meet the astronomical clause in either January or the summer of 2015 – leaving just personal terms to be negotiated. The youngster will therefore have to decide between a switch to either United or Arsenal in the near future.
Both teams will be hoping that they can use their current connections to score the player: Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has a very positive record with young French stars, whilst former team-mate Ander Herrera could help him acclimatise in Manchester.
Arsenal are particularly desperate to add to their defensive options, having failed to replace the departing Thomas Vermaelen during the summer, while United have struggled to keep clean sheets so far this season, and are open to adding to their £150m spending spree earlier this year.
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