Laporte has not told me he wants to leave - Urrutia

Athletic Bilbao president Josu Urrutia insisted in-demand defender Aymeric Laporte has not asked to leave the La Liga side amid interest from Manchester City.

City are reportedly ready to make Laporte - under contract until 2019 with a €50million buyout clause - one of Pep Guardiola's first singings, despite the French centre-back still recovering from a broken leg and dislocated ankle.

But Urrutia denied the 21-year-old is seeking a move to the Premier League.

"Neither Laporte nor any other player has told me he wants to leave Athletic," Urrutia said.

Urrutia added: "The way the club works is to give as few clues as possible and work discretely.

"In these five years I think the message Athletic has put out is that we are not a selling club.

"With Laporte, or whoever, we treat them so they feel important and valued. He knows he's important for the coach, that his team-mates value him, the fans love him and the board are enamoured with him."