Sunday's Manchester City transfer talk news roundup: Aymeric Laporte, Jules Kounde, Sergio Aguero

The January transfer window has now closed, leaving Manchester City to begin looking forward to the summer for their next round of recruitment.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up the latest news on possible comings and goings at the Etihad.

Sunday morning's Manchester City transfer talk news roundup:

Real Madrid 'eyeing move for Aymeric Laporte'

© Reuters

Real Madrid are reportedly interested in bringing Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte to the Bernabeu during this summer's transfer window.

Los Blancos could be in the market for at least one new centre-back ahead of next season, with the futures of both Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane unclear.

A number of players, including Bayern Munich's David Alaba and Sevilla's Jules Kounde, have been linked with moves to the Spanish capital this summer.

However, according to the Daily Star, Laporte has also been identified by Zinedine Zidane's side as a potential arrival, with the 26-year-old losing his spot in City's first XI.

Laporte has started three of his side's last four Premier League matches but is now behind Ruben Dias and John Stones in the pecking order when it comes to the centre-back spots at the Etihad Stadium.

Despite falling out of favour, it is thought that Madrid would have to come up with an offer in the region of £57m to convince the Citizens to part with the Frenchman this summer.

Laporte made 222 appearances for Athletic Bilbao before joining Pep Guardiola's team in 2018.

Manchester City 'draw up five-man shortlist of Sergio Aguero replacements'

© Reuters

Manchester City have reportedly drawn up a five-man shortlist of possible Sergio Aguero replacements as they prepare to bring a new striker to the club during this summer's transfer window.

Aguero's existing deal at the Etihad Stadium is due to expire at the end of June, and it appears increasingly likely that the Argentina international will leave the club in search of pastures new.

According to the Daily Mail, City have put together a five-man shortlist of replacements for the club's all-time leading goalscorer, who has only scored twice in nine outings for the Citizens this term.

The report claims that Inter Milan duo Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez, Borussia Dortmund's Erling Braut Haaland, Southampton's Danny Ings and Benfica's Darwin Nunez are all under consideration.

Ings is expected to be the most attainable this summer, with Inter reluctant to sell either Lukaku or Martinez, while a release clause in Haaland's Dortmund contract does not come into play until next summer.

Gabriel Jesus has scored eight times in all competitions for Pep Guardiola's side this season, although the Brazilian has only found the back of the net on four occasions in the Premier League.

More transfer news from Manchester City:

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