Man City now set to sign 6ft9 "physical phenomenon", he could be Aymeric Laporte 2.0 - opinion

Despite pulling off the sensational signing that is Erling Haaland, Manchester City are looking to build for the future by signing a young French centre-back.

That is according to a report from L’Equipe, via The Mirror, who claim that teenage Le Havre defender Isaak Toure is set to join Pep Guardiola’s side.

It is said that Manchester City faced competition for his signature from the likes of Newcastle United and Marseille, but have “beaten the competition for the prospect.”

As per the same report, it is relayed that Toure had “offers to leave Le Havre last year with interest from Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga.”

The 19-year-old will be loaned to Ligue 1 side Troyes for the forthcoming season.

Having reportedly beaten the competition for his signature, Guardiola may have just future-proofed the City squad for the role of left centre-back, in what seems to be a slightly unorthodox signing from the Spaniard with Toure standing at a whopping 6 foot 9.

If Guardiola is still with the Citizens next year, it will surely be the tallest player that he has managed and by signing a prospect at such a height, it seems that the influence of Graham Potter and Brighton has rubbed off on the managerial great.

Whilst the height of the player makes for an unorthodox Pep signing, it is indeed a move that makes more sense when the other physical components are fairly analysed.

Toure is reminiscent of Laporte in the fact that he is a left-footed centre-back who is not only strong defensively, but possesses strength physically, with talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbing him a “physical phenomenon.”

But whilst the similarity is there, especially considering the French nationality (of which Laporte has switched from), it’s a style of central defender