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Madrid, Spain | XINHUA | Spainish soccer team coach Luis Enrique received an important ‘signing’ on Tuesday with the confirmation that Manchester City’s central defender Aymeric Laporte has been granted Spanish nationality by the Spanish government.
The 26-year-old was born in Agen in France, moving to Spain in 2010 to join Athletic Club Bilbao, spending eight years at the club from the Basque Region, before joining Manchester City in 2018.
Despite representing France at Under-17, 18, 19 and Under-21 levels, Laporte has never played for the full national team. Thanks to a change in FIFA rules which allow players who have only played a limited number of appearances by age 21 to change the country they represent, he would be eligible to play for Spain.
Spain coach Luis Enrique is thought to be a big ‘fan’ of the left-footed central defender and one of the prime movers in pressing the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to ask the government to grant Laporte Spanish nationality.
Luis Enrique is expected to name his squad for the forthcoming European Championships on May 21st and barring a surprise, Laporte will be included in the list.
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XINHUA
