Arsenal enter the race for Laporte: Arteta seeks solution to defensive crisis

Laporte back on the European radar

Currently at Al Nassr, Laporte is weighing up a return to European football. According to AS, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has officially approached his former player.

The report states that Laporte is not only being monitored by Arsenal, but also by Napoli, Inter, Marseille, Aston Villa and former club Athletic Club.

Early years and rise through the ranks

Laporte began his football career in the youth academy of SU Agen, a small club in France. Before turning 15, he moved to Bayonne U19, where he quickly drew attention.

Despite Athletic Bilbao’s unique recruitment policy, Laporte, a French citizen, was accepted into the club’s academy thanks to his Basque heritage.

He took the next step in the club’s youth system by joining Basconia, moving into a more competitive environment.

In the summer of 2012, he was promoted to Bilbao Athletic, the club’s B team. A string of consistent performances soon earned him promotion to the first team.

Breakthrough at Athletic and move to Manchester City

At just 18 years old, Laporte began playing in La Liga. His vision, technically gifted left foot, and physical strength made him one of Spain’s most talked-about defensive prospects.

Born in France, Laporte opted to represent Spain at international level. After making his first-team debut for Athletic Bilbao in late 2012, he quickly caught the eye.

On 30 January 2018, with a market value of €25 million, he made the move to England. Manchester City triggered his €65 million release clause to complete the transfer.

Trophies, consistency and the Saudi move

After winning multiple domestic and European titles over five seasons, he transferred to Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr on 24 August 2023 for €27.5 million.

At the time of his departure from City, his market value remained around €25 million.

This season, the 31-year-old defender made 31 appearances for Al Nassr across all competitions, delivering a solid and reliable performance. He also scored five goals, making a notable impact at both ends of the pitch.

Why Arsenal are targeting Laporte

Arsenal’s interest in Laporte is driven by persistent squad depth issues and injury-related problems throughout the season. This was particularly evident during the first half of the 2024/25 campaign. Speaking to ESPN at the start of the season, manager Mikel Arteta said:

“We knew from the beginning of the season that our squad was super short and, being super short, we had some players that had a high probability of getting injured…”

These words reflected not only the lack of depth in defence but a general vulnerability to injuries across the entire squad structure.

A season plagued by injuries

The Times: “Seven defenders were unavailable at once”

Similarly, The Times highlighted the serious defensive problems Arsenal faced during the middle of the 2024/25 season. At one point, the club was missing seven defenders in training, prompting the outlet to label the situation as a “defensive injury crisis.”

Urgent January transfer window

Goal.com also reported that Arteta was forced to accelerate his transfer plans in January due to these defensive weaknesses. The piece used the phrase, “An opportunity to strengthen … amid defensive injury crisis,” indicating the necessity of making moves mid-season.

Sky Sports: “Zinchenko, White, Timber all suffered injuries”

A Sky Sports analysis published in early 2025 underlined that versatile players like Oleksandr Zinchenko, Ben White, Jurrien Timber, and Takehiro Tomiyasu all picked up injuries at different points in the campaign. This placed an additional burden on first-choice centre-backs like William Saliba and Gabriel.

Laporte’s winning mentality and experience

In the aftermath of these crises, Arsenal are now targeting a seasoned, title-winning defensive leader. Laporte’s five seasons at Manchester City yielded 5 Premier League titles, 2 FA Cups, 3 EFL Cups and a Champions League trophy.

Playing time will be decisive

Laporte’s decision may hinge on assurances of regular playing time. While AS report that numerous clubs have shown interest, Sports Illustrated offers the following insight:

“if other clubs can assure him of more playing time.”

This suggests Laporte is likely to favour a move to a club where he can be assured of minutes. Even so, Arsenal remain well-positioned, offering several compelling advantages: the opportunity to return to the Premier League, his relationship with Arteta, and the chance to compete for major honours once again.