When midfielder Aymeric Laporte left a cryptic message on Instagram, it was reported that he would leave Manchester City in the summer to return to his old club Athletic Bilbao.
According to The Sun, Aymeric Laporte will leave Manchester City next season. With Inigo Martinez signing for Barcelona, fans at the San Mames Stadium are dreaming of the Spain centre-back’s return after five years.

Aymeric Laporte and Manchester City are getting closer and closer to going their separate ways. Pep Guardiola’s lack of opportunity for Laporte has opened the door to rumors, which his cryptic messages on social media have shed some light on.

The Sun reports that the French defender (who has a Spanish passport) will not stay at Etihad. Furthermore, it was the player who delivered a message that could have San Mames fans raving about the possibility of a comeback.

Aymeric Laporte took to Instagram to post a message: “After the rain comes a rainbow; after the storm comes calm and after an end comes a new beginning”. These words seem to imply the possibility of a return to Bilbao.

The defender has a contract with Man City until 2025, meaning he must reach an agreement with the English club to reduce the price if he can leave.

Back to the old roof

Laporte spent 6 seasons in the first team of the Basque team. He joined Manchester City in 2018 and achieved much success. On top of that, he is a regular for Spain after refusing to play for France in 2021.

However, Laporte has declined in form at Man City this season, instead, Pep Guardiola preferred to use Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji. Laporte’s starting minutes are severely limited, and his future is the cause of much speculation.

Barcelona have been interested in Laporte, although their financial situation thwarts any attempt to sign the 28-year-old. Instead, Barcelona look set to sign Inigo Martinez, who plays for Athletic, and the Basque club could look to replace it with veteran Laporte. The Sun has thus linked them with a sensational push for a ‘return to the old home’.

There are no specific reports of this move, but ‘El Desmarque’ explains that Laporte’s wife and son are living in Bilbao. That was the source of Laporte’s return to San Mames.

It would be a remarkable purchase for Athletic Bilbao and one that will clarify their intentions for next season, having tied Oihan Sancet to a long-term contract in recent weeks