Aymeric Laporte’s £58million switch to Manchester City was a huge deal for hometown club SU Agen
PRIDE of place on a wall at tiny French side Agen hangs a photo of Aymeric Laporte presenting his Athletic Bilbao shirt to the man who set him on the road to fame and fortune.
Pierrot Fernandez was 92 three years ago when Laporte paid homage to his first coach and arranged a full mayoral presentation ceremony in his honour at the local town hall.
Fernandez died just a year later so did not witness his dream £58million move to Manchester City.
But the deal sees the eighth-tier south-western French club, who play in front of average crowds of FIFTY and were on the brink of going bust, receive a staggering £580,000 windfall - the one per cent cut of the fee they are entitled to because of FIFA player development rules.
Laporte was involved with the club aged five up to 15.
And joint club president Jean-Pierre Pontens compares it almost to “winning the lottery” as he takes the framed photo off the wall to show me.
He said: “This club was so dear to Pierrot’s heart, he had been here all his life and was a walking encyclopaedia on everything to do with SU Agen, and Aymeric was the apple of his eye.
“If he was alive today he’d have been thrilled that his protege has been signed by Pep Guardiola and the club he loved so much has had its future safeguarded as a result too.
FINE PORTE Meet Sara Botello... Man City's record signing Aymeric Laporte's hot Wag
“Aymeric started coming to this club when he was five-and-a-half and Pierrot took him under his wing. He was the first one who taught the boy how to pass the ball. All his natural skills were honed by him from the start.
“When Aymeric decided to honour Pierrot, not just for helping him but his lifelong services to this club, by coming back to Agen a few years ago, it was the cherry on the cake and he died a happy man.
“Pierrot may not have seen him make his big move but he was always certain it was only a matter of time before the kid reached the very top.”
The windfall from City means the club can budget for at least FOUR seasons and their aim is to attract more coaches and build a better sport-academic programme for their youth.
They also plan to climb the French football pyramid after suffering three relegations in recent years. Only seven years ago they were taking on the might of Paris Saint Germain in the French Cup.
Fellow co-president Jean-Claude Brunel said: “We had just managed to clear £100,000 debts before this happened so all the City money will go straight into football. It’s a dream.”
Laporte, who is in the Manchester City squad that takes on Wigan in the FA Cup today heralds from a relatively wealthy family in Agen and was the second child of three - having an older sister and a younger brother, Leo, 13, who is currently on the books at Agen as a striker.
His father Lionel ran an exotic food business while mum Agnes was a hairdresser at a salon.
Pontens said: “He was brought up in a certain comfort and luxury but he was humble and never misbehaved. He always showed up for training and was disciplined.
“You could never say a bad word about him. He set an example to his peers and they all looked up to him. That is why he ended up captaining all the various French national team age groups and Bilbao. I’m sure he’ll captain Manchester City one day too.”
Technical directors Alain Martin and Alain Delpech both taught the young Laporte at the Miramont De Guyene boarding school, 60km outside Agen, as well as coach him at the club.
Martin said: “Aymeric was conscientious, respectful to his teachers, worked hard and was passionate about his play.
"I used to give him various exercises, such as holding the ball, kicking it 30 metres, 50 metres, 70 metres, right foot, left foot - and he would spend hours of his private time perfecting it.
“One day I took him to one side and told him, ‘The only thing you’re lacking is speed, you’re not fast enough on the pitch.’ So when the summer vacation arrived, he was out on the field on his own with a speedometer working every day for two months on his speed.”
Delpech remembers: “What I always liked about him was that he was never arrogant. He was way ahead of his team-mates but he didn’t walk around with his nose in the air. He was always modest. He was serious but didn’t take himself too seriously.
“Another great quality is he’s extremely loyal. He has his old school friends and Aymeric is still loyal to them, visiting them every now and then. He was here at Christmas and also invited his friends to Spain, putting them up in one of the best hotels in Bilbao.
“When he does come back to Agen, he pops down to the club and watches his brother play.”
Guardiola was gushing in his praise for Laporte after he played a full 90 minutes on his debut against West Brom with the Catalan boss saying afterwards, “Wow, what a defender.”
And Martin said: “He was always a defender right from the start. Aymeric didn’t want to be the centre of attention as a striker or midfielder, preferring to help his team-mates. He was always comfortable with the ball at his feet, was a good technical player, very correct and doesn’t give fouls away.
“Aymeric isn’t a player fond of battering his opponent, he prefers to keep away from opponents and playing in a position to get the ball.
“Because of this, you will not see him get booked much in England.
“He’ll be a big success too because of his height. He will win a lot of headers. He doesn’t get out of the way for anyone.
“What is so exciting for Aymeric is that he is playing for Guardiola. We expect him to get even better at City.
“Also he is going to have a great chance of going to the World Cup with France. We know that Didier Deschamps is taking four centre-halves to Russia and if he does the business for Guardiola he has to be on the plan this summer."
Laporte is now playing the Champions League for City and Delpech is one of many back in Agen watching his exploits.
He said: “In his bedroom at school, he had posters of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos - and now he is one of them. Competing with them to be a European champion!”
