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Laporte unfazed by City defender links

Cape Town - Manchester City’s Aymeric Laporte is confident of retaining his berth in the starting eleven even if the club sign another defender.

The 25-year-old signed for City in January 2018 and has made 44 Premier League appearances for the club.

His performances last season helped City secure another Premier League title but manager Pep Guardiola is still looking to bolster his squad in the coming weeks.

The Spaniard lost captain Vincent Kompany at the end of the campaign and the Citizens have been linked with Harry Maguire all summer.

Despite the ongoing rumours, Laporte is confident he can hold onto his position and believes the Citizens are well equipped in the middle of defence, with Fernandinho also able to fill in.

He told reporters: "Hopefully it can be the same this year, I’m here to start. I’m going to work for that. I don’t know (if the the club will buy).

"Ask Pep what he wants. I think the three of us are putting ourselves forward to play every game, but we don’t decide.

"The club decides for us. Yes it’s possible. Fernandinho is a very good player. I think he can play wherever he wants so, yes, he can play centre-back too.

"We will try. I think we have the same team and there’s someone else who has come in who can complete the team but we know it will be difficult."

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