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Man Utd and Arsenal prepare to TRIGGER French star Aymeric Laporte's £32m release clause
MANCHESTER UNITED and Arsenal are hopeful of signing Athletic Bilbao's French defender Aymeric Laporte.
Spanish sources claim the Premier League duo will meet Laporte's astronomical £32m buyout clause either in January or the summer of 2016 - leaving just personal terms to be negotiated.
The youngster will therefore have to decide between a switch to either United or Arsenal in the near future.
Both team's have a loose connection with the 20-year-old; compatriot Arsene Wenger has a very positive record with young French stars, whilst former team-mate Ander Herrera could help him acclimatise in Manchester.
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Arsenal clearly need to bolster their defensive ranks, a factor Wenger is more than aware of.
He said: "We tried to buy one more, a defender, but we didn't find one. But we will try to rectify that in January."
Meanwhile United are also in the market for a centre-half with Winston Reid, Ezequiel Garay and Mats Hummels topping Louis van Gaal's wish list.
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