Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, reportedly stopped Aymeric Laporte from signing for English Premier League rival, Arsenal.
Popular football transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano, made the claims on GiveMeSport, saying that Mikel Arteta’s side were keen on signing the player.
According to him, Man City ruled out the chances of selling any more player to Arsenal having seen the Gunners challenged them last season for the Premier League title after signing the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko.
“It’s true that they appreciate a player like Aymeric Laporte. At the beginning of the market at the end of June and beginning of July, they considered a move for Laporte, but it was very expensive.
“Man City weren’t keen on selling another player to Arsenal after Gabriel Jesus, Zinchenko and all the others. So, that’s why it was not an easy one,” Romano said, maintaining that City are unwilling to do business with the North London club at the moment.
Meanwhile, Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, has argued that there is no first-choice player in any role at the club as he tries to defend his decision of bringing in a new goalkeeper this summer.
To the dismay of most pundits, Mikel Arteta brought in Brentford first choice goalkeeper, David Raya, which seems like a move to put the club’s current first-choice goalkeeper, Aaron Ramsdale, on his toes.
Raya joins the Gunners on a one-season loan deal with an option of landing a permanent deal at the end of the 2023-2024 season.
He is coming into the club when Aaron Ramsdale is still on top of his game which means that the two goalies would have to compete for a starting shirt all season long.
Last season, Ramsdale, 25, helped Arsenal finish second behind Manchester City by recording 14 clean sheets.
While critics are wondering why Raya had to be brought in this summer, Mikel Arteta stressed that his presence would Spur his colleague to be better just like in other departments of the team where there are at least two options each.
“To be better [as a team], the environment has to be better,” the Spanish tactician said.
He added, “When you have to be at 100% every day, believe me, your level increases.
“We have two great goalkeepers, just like we have two great left-wingers holding midfielders, two great strikers. There is no number one – not in any position.”
Arsenal will resume their 2023-2024 Premier League campaign on Monday, August 21, against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park Stadium. The game will kick off at 8 p.m.
