Manchester City want to sign Athletic Bilbaos Aymeric Laporte this summer, according to Sky sources. Willie Roaf Saints Jersey . The French defender looks a good fit for Pep Guardiolas Etihad Stadium revolution, writes Nick Wright. Pep Guardiola counts Argentine manager Marcelo Bielsa as one of his biggest influences so perhaps it is not surprising that he shares his idols admiration for Aymeric Laporte. The French centre-back was schooled by Bielsa as a teenager at Athletic Bilbao, and Guardiola is eager to continue his education at Manchester City next season.Sundays 2-2 draw with Arsenal showed why the incoming manager has identified central defence as Citys most pressing area in need of attention. This season they have conceded more Premier League goals (40) than in any of the previous five, with Nicolas Otamendi and Eliaquim Mangala struggling to meet expectations and Vincent Kompany repeatedly falling victim to injuries. Major changes are required, and while Evertons John Stones is among the names to have been talked up, Laporte appears to be the priority for Guardiola. Citys sporting director Txiki Bergiristain has already flown to Bilbao to discuss the deal with Athletic, and reports in Spain suggest City are ready and willing to pay his £39m buy-out clause. Laporte on City rumours Aymeric Laporte denies he has agreed to join City but Sky sources confirm he is a target. It is a huge sum for a 21-year-old still recovering from a broken leg suffered playing for Frances U21s in March, but he is due to return in August and the feeling in Spain is that he is worth the investment. Laporte has developed a burgeoning reputation over the course of four seasons in Athletics first team and has already amassed over 100 La Liga appearances despite his tender age.Basque journalist Endika Río has followed his progress from the start. He is a central defender with the profile that Pep Guardiola likes, he tells Sky Sports. Hes strong, tall and powerful but what characterises him most is playing out from the back. He makes the central midfielders jobs easier. He has good distribution and he has quality with the ball at his feet. Watch some of Aymeric Laportes best moments for Athletic Bilbao That technical ability is invaluable to Guardiola, whose attacking philosophy requires modern, ball-playing centre-backs who can build quickly and fluently from the back. The role was fulfilled by Gerard Pique at Barcelona and David Alaba at Bayern Munich, and Laporte, it seems, will be the man for the job at Manchester City.A money-spinning transfer to the Etihad would cap a rapid rise for Laporte, who was only 18 when Bielsa promoted him to Athletic Bilbaos first team in November 2012. It was quite a difficult year for Athletic, recalls Río. Javi Martinez had left and they were having trouble renewing Fernando Amorebietas contract, so Bielsa promoted Laporte even though he had hardly played for the reserves. A City ready for Pep The appetite for Pep Guardiola in Manchester will be greater than it ever was in Munich. Laporte was thrust into the heart of a struggling side, but the 6ft 2ins teenager swiftly established himself as a regular starter in central defence. Bielsa saw characteristics in him that fit with his style of football, says Río. He soon filled the gap left by Amorebieta. He was a boom.Bielsa loved Laporte - I dont remember a single fault I could tell you about, he said in 2015 - and he made 17 appearances before the 60-year-old was replaced by Ernesto Valverde in the summer of 2013. Bielsas gruelling training methods had taken a heavy toll as Athletic finished 12th in 2012/13 but the squad were reinvigorated by Valverde. Laporte, in particular, went from strength to strength. Laporte battles for the ball with Barcelonas Luis Suarez and Marc Bartra Laportes second year in the first team was Valverdes first in charge, says Río. The team finished fourth in La Liga and qualified for the Champions League. Laporte was part of the spine of the team and became the líder of the defence. He was still 19 but no one disputed it despite his age. Bit by bit, he has improved a lot in very little time.Laporte has come out on top in duels with the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo since breaking into the Athletic team. He helped them reach the final of last years Copa del Rey and played every minute of their historic 5-1 aggregate win over Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup in August. Laporte is a great player with every quality. I don’t remember a single fault that I could tell you about. He’s fast, he has character, he is competitive, he has very good technique and he is very intelligent. Marcelo Bielsa on Aymeric Laporte in 2015 Laporte is an accomplished one-on-one defender who doesnt shy away from physical challenges, but he prefers to rely on his fine reading of the game and intelligent positioning rather than gung-ho tackling. He has an excellent range of passing and averages more per game than any other Athletic player with the exception of central midfielder Beñat, while he is also a goal threat, having scored five times this season alone before he was injured in March.As for weaknesses, there is little to cause alarm. In some games you can still see his youth and inexperience, says Río. There have been some errors and he has been sent off for inexperienced fouls, but with time he has got better. You can see that he learns very fast for a player so young, and its not surprising that some of the biggest clubs in Europe want him. Laporte in action for Athletic Bilbao against Espanyol Like Bielsa before him, Valverde is a huge admirer. Hes young and he has to improve some things but hes already the real deal, he said in October. He is a player who is mature, despite his youth. On the pitch you see that because he takes responsibility for his position. Experience is always important, but if you already have that experience when you are 22, then imagine…Laportes rare combination of technical ability, physical prowess and youthful experience has thrust him to the forefront of Manchester Citys plans. Their defensive problems have been costly this season, but as they prepare to usher in a new era at the Etihad Stadium, Bielsas pupil looks ready to make his next step up with Guardiola. Also See: Sagna: Failure would be our fault Who gets into Europe? Has Pellegrni improved City? Kompany facing long spell out Morten Andersen Youth Jersey . Now, Sarah Burkes legacy will live on in Canadas Sports Hall of Fame. Burke, who tragically died at age 29 from a training accident in 2012, headlined the 2014 class named for induction Wednesday. Alvin Kamara Saints Jersey . - A mixed martial arts fighter who changed his name to War Machine was ordered Friday to stand trial in Nevada state court on 34 felony charges including attempted murder, sexual assault and kidnapping that could get him life in prison for allegedly attacking his porn star ex-girlfriend and her friend. http://www.shoptheofficialsaints.com/Elite-Bobby-Hebert-Saints-Jersey/ . -- Packers cornerback Tramon Williams has been fined $26,250 for contact with an official, per NFL guidelines.London, England (SportsNetwork.com) - Liverpool suffered a 2-1 defeat to Chelsea at Anfield on Saturday, its third loss in the span of a week. The Reds were on the wrong end of a 1-0 result at Newcastle in league play last week and followed the match with a disappointing 1-0 loss to Real Madrid in Champions League action on Tuesday. The bad times continued on Saturday as Diego Costa netted the winner at Anfield to mount some additional pressure on manager Brendan Rodgers. Saturdays affair started brightly for Liverpool as the hosts managed to break the deadlock in the early going. A well-worked move in the ninth minute allowed Emre Can to find space at the top of the penalty area and uncork a shot that took a massive deflection on its way past Thibaut Courtois. Chelsea, though, got back on level terms just five minutes later when a chaotic sequence in the box culminated with Gary Cahill sweeping a loose ball toward goal from close range. It appeared as though Simon Mignolet had done enough to deny the visitors an equalizer, but goal line technology revealed that Cahills shot had narrowly crossed the line. While the two sides traded scoring chances for the remainder of the opening period, the second half was controlled largely by Chelsea. The visitors eventually got their noses in front in the 67th minute when Cesar Azpilicueta found space on the left flank and sent a dangerous ball across the face of goal. Mignolet managed to parry the delivery but only as far as Costa, who smashed a first-time effort into the back of the net. Liverpool had a penalty shout in the 88th minute when Steve Gerrards shot was blocked by Cahills outstretched arm, but the infraction went unnoticed as Chelsea escaped with all three points in tact. The result sees the Blues continue their unbeaten start to the season as Jose Mourinhos men improve to 29 points through 11 matches. Liverpool, meanwhhile, stays put on 14 points. Cameron Jordan Youth Jersey. Southampton kept pace with Chelsea at the top of the Premier League table as the Saints battled to a 2-0 victory over Leicester City at St. Marys on Saturday. The hosts were made to wait until the 75th minute for the go-ahead goal as second-half substitute Shane Long broke the deadlock with a superb curling effort. Long then doubled Southamptons advantage just five minutes later when he latched on to a ball over the top and slipped a shot into the back of the net at the near post. The Saints improve to 25 points on the season to stay four points back of Chelsea while Leicester City drops its fourth straight to remain on nine points. Manchester United dictated play at Old Trafford on Saturday but only managed to come away with a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace. The lone goal came in the 67th minute when second-half substitute Juan Mata fired a shot that took a deflection on its way past Julian Speroni at the near post. The Red Devils were content with the narrow lead and closed out the match to snap their three-game winless run and move to 16 points. Manchester City avoided an embarrassing defeat at Loftus Road on Saturday as Sergio Agueros double helped the Citizens salvage a point from a 2-2 draw with QPR. The hosts grabbed the lead through Charlie Austin in the 21st minute only to see a brilliant bit of skill from Aguero draw City level 11 minutes later. An own goal from Martin Demichelis put QPR back in front 14 minutes from time, but Aguero ensured a point for the Citizens in the 83rd by latching on to a superb long ball from Yaya Toure and curling a precise left-footed shot into the back of the net. Ashley Barnes netted the lone goal in Bunrleys 1-0 defeat of Hull City, the clubs first win of the campaign. West Ham United and Aston Villa completed Saturdays action with a 0-0 draw at Upton Park. ' ' '