Man Utd want Athletic Bilbao star Aymeric Laporte - but deal must wait until summer

Posted Sunday, January 25, 2015 by Dailystar.co.uk

Any chance Manchester United had to land Athletic Bilbao ace Aymeric Laporte in the current window appears dead in the water.

STAYING PUT: Athletic Bilbao are desperate to hold onto Aymeric Laporte until at least the summer

Old Trafford boss Luis Van Gaal had earmarked the French centre-half, 20, as the next piece in his ongoing rebuilding of the United rearguard.

However, despite the Premier League giants being prepared to offer £15million for Laporte this month, Bilbao are refusing to sell right now.

The message from the Spanish club is that they may be ready to do business next summer – as long as United meet Laporte's £20m buy-out clause.

This, of course, is not the first time United have been left frustrated in their pursuit of an Athletic player.

In August 2013 they failed to seal a £24m deal on deadline day for midfielder Ander Herrera - only to finally sign the Spaniard a year later for an even higher price of £28m.

It seems United will have to be similarly patient over Laporte who has become a key man at the back for Bilbao in the last two years.

Many expect the versatile France Under-21s star to receive a senior call-up when coach Didier Deschamps announces his next full squad ahead of a friendly against Brazil in March.