Aymeric Laporte of Spain has left Manchester City for Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr in a move worth 27.5 million euros (£23.6 million).
The 29-year-old joined City from Athletic Bilbao in January 2018 for a then-club record fee of £57 million.
He helped City win 12 major awards, although he only made 24 appearances when the Blues claimed the Triple Crown last season.
In a farewell statement on social media, Laporte praised supporters and teammates for an "unforgettable" stint at the club.
It lasted five and a half unforgettable years. I have a lot of memories that I will cherish forever, Laporte said.
We have officially signed the Spanish star Aymeric Laporte ✍️
— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) August 24, 2023
Let’s welcome the treble champion & Spain national team defender 🤩#LaporteIsYellow 💛 pic.twitter.com/l3mUdf1rdS
Whether it was trophies, setbacks, victories or injuries, it has all been part of my journey, and I am grateful for every moment that has influenced me to become who I am. It was an honor and a joy to wear these colors, and I hope you have fond memories of me. I will always be a City fan, and I hope to see you all again."
Laporte appeared in 180 games for City, scoring 12 goals, but his opportunities were restricted last season.
City spent £77m earlier this month on Croatia defender Josko Gvardiol, and coach Pep Guardiola has been using defenders Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake more frequently.
Txiki Begiristain, director of football of Manchester City, remarked that Aymeric "has been an excellent player for Manchester City during a great time for the club."
Upon his arrival in 2018, he seamlessly integrated into the team and played a key role in many of our successes. He struggled to get enough playing time in 2022–2023 due to the team's other defenders' performances, thus we respect his decision to look for a transfer elsewhere.
In May 2021, Laporte moved from France to Spain, where he has 22 caps and helped them win the UEFA Nations League final in June.
He is the club's newest high-profile signing, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, Marcelo Brozovic, Alex Telles, and Seko Fofana.
They are one of four Saudi Pro League clubs signed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) in June, along with Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal, and Al-Ahli.
Riyad Mahrez, Laporte's former City teammate, signed Al-Ahli in a deal for up to £30 million last month, while Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kante, Ruben Neves, and Neymar are among the other stars set to go to Saudi Arabia this summer.