Aymeric Laporte is set to represent Spain at Euro 2020 after switching his allegiance from France.
Manchester City centre-back Laporte has represented Les Bleus 51 times in total across the under-17 and under-21 age groups.
However, the 26-year-old was never handed his senior debut, despite being called up three times by Didier Deschamps.
Laporte came through the youth ranks at Athletic Bilbao and made 222 appearances for the Basque club until joining City in January 2018.
He was granted Spanish citizenship earlier this week and FIFA has confirmed he can play for Spain with "immediate effect".
A report by Marca earlier this week claimed Spain boss Luis Enrique lobbied the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to look into the possibility of Laporte changing allegiance, so it feels safe to assume he will be a key part of the former Barcelona head coach's plans for Euro 2020.
But how does Laporte compare to Spain's other options at centre-back?
Regular game time
Despite scoring the winner in last month's EFL Cup final against Tottenham and collecting a third Premier League title in four seasons at City, it has been a mixed campaign for Laporte on a personal level.
He went into 2020-21 as Pep Guardiola's go-to centre-back but the arrival of Ruben Dias and John Stones' resurgence means he is no longer first choice at the Etihad Stadium.
Nevertheless, the packed schedule undertaken across all competitions by the Champions League finalists means he has still played 27 games, starting 24 and completing 2,250 minutes.
Of centre-backs used by Luis Enrique this season, that places Laporte third behind Villarreal's Pau Torres (41 games, 3,675 minutes) and Athletic's Inigo Martinez (32 games, 2,914).
Sergio Ramos, who is now widely expected to have a new centre-back partner for La Roja, has been restricted to 21 games and 1,790 minutes by injuries this season, while Diego Llorente (14 games, 1,160) was compromised by a serious groin injury after joining Leeds United.
One would-be international colleague Laporte knows very well is club team-mate Eric Garcia. The 20-year-old is set to leave City after declining to sign a new contract last term.
While running down the clock to his anticipated move to Barcelona, Garcia has become a marginal figure in Manchester, despite Guardiola continuing to profess his admiration of his talents.
His 10 appearances and eight starts amount to 693 minutes, not significantly more than 514 minutes across seven caps for Spain this season.
Indeed, Luis Enrique started Garcia in all three of the March internationals, suggesting his lack of club action is not overly hindering his case.
Keeping it tight in Manchester
City's defensive improvements have been central to their success this season and, although no longer an automatic selection, Laporte has more than played his part.
The 14 goals conceded with him on the field are just four more than Guardiola's side have let in amid Garcia's sporadic outings. Only Torres (13) has amassed more than his 12 clean sheets.
Laporte ranks well across all of the key defensive metrics this season, with 18 tackles placing him level with Ramos and Torres.
Martinez has made 24, while Marcelo Bielsa's famously intense style of play might be largely responsible for Llorente going into 31 tackles during his relatively smaller workload.
Laporte's duel success rate of 63.7 per cent is the best of the bunch, with Martinez contesting and winning the most overall (263 and 149), while Torres is out in front in terms of recoveries (232).
In the air and on the ground
Standing at 6ft 3ins, Laporte will provide the kind of imposing presence Spain have perhaps lacked.
He has contested 100 and won 69 aerials, similar numbers to the 103 and 62 returned by Torres, who is of similar stature. Martinez's 136 contested and 82 won again show the Athletic man getting through plenty of work.
Perhaps Laporte's most celebrated quality is his capacity to start moves from the back via his superb left foot.
Centre-backs completing a high proportion of their passes is not unusual, given the generally simple nature of them, but Laporte generally plays in a notably progressive manner.
He has made 244 passes into the final third this season, more than any of the Spain centre-backs mentioned (Torres 240, Martinez 235), a trait that is sure to be welcomed by the attacking talents in Luis Enrique's squad.
Yamal ruled out of Serbia clash due to muscle injury
Lamine Yamal will miss Spain's Nations League clash against Serbia after sustaining a muscle injury during their 1-0 win over Denmark on Saturday.
Yamal was replaced by Sergio Gomez in the 93rd minute of their encounter at the Estadio Nueva Condomina and was seen limping after the game.
He had endured multiple tackles during the contest, raising concerns over his fitness. Despite the precautionary exit, the Spanish medical team found no significant injury.
The 17-year-old has since been replaced in Luis de la Fuente's squad by Atletico Madrid's Rodrigo Riquelme for the match against Serbia in Cordoba.
"The tests did not reveal any structural injury, and the medical staff of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) confirmed it is a case of muscle strain," the Spain national team said in a statement on Sunday.
"Prioritising the player's health and to avoid any risk of injury ahead of the upcoming match against Serbia, it has been decided to withdraw him from the squad."
Yamal has continued his impressive form from Euro 2024 into the current LaLiga season for Barcelona, scoring five goals in 11 appearances in all competitions.
Only Sevilla's Chidera Ejuke (28) has completed more dribbles in the league than Yamal (27), with his 18 chances created for Hansi Flick's side, a total only bettered by Raphinha (32) in Barcelona's ranks.
Yamal announced himself on the international stage during Spain's European Championship success earlier this year, notching four assists and one goal at the tournament.
While only in the infancy of his promising career, Spain head coach De la Fuente believes the treatment Yamal is currently experiencing is something he must get used to.
"The referee has to protect these talented players, but Lamine has to get used to it. I would love it to be a bed of roses, Flower Power, but this sport is like that," De la Fuente said.
"Lamine displayed an exceptional attitude and generated a lot for us from the right flank. He has a special talent.
"I had a teammate who used to say: 'What do you want, kisses (from the opponents)?' Teams will use the weapons they can within the rules."
Khadija Shaw’s late heroics lead Manchester City Women to 2-1 comeback win over Liverpool
Khadija Shaw continued her impressive form, scoring twice, including a dramatic 92nd-minute winner, to lead Manchester City Women to a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Liverpool in the Women’s Super League on Sunday. The victory moved City to the top of the league table with 10 points from four matches.
Shaw, who has been instrumental for City this season, was the difference-maker once again as her late header sealed all three points for her team in a hard-fought contest at Anfield. City came into the game on a high, following up their recent win over Barcelona with another statement performance.
Liverpool opened the scoring with Olivia Smith's long-range effort, a right-footed strike from outside the box that gave the hosts the lead. City responded through Shaw, who leveled the match with a right-footed shot from the center of the box, finishing expertly in the top right corner after a precise through ball from Laia Aleixandri.
Shaw nearly put City ahead earlier when her left-footed shot struck the post, following another assist from Aleixandri. However, it wasn’t until injury time that Shaw finally completed the comeback. In the 92nd minute, Lauren Hemp delivered a perfect cross from the wing, and Shaw rose highest to head the ball into the bottom left corner, sealing a dramatic victory for City.
The win propels Manchester City to the top of the table with 10 points, though they have played one more game than Chelsea, Manchester United, and Brighton and Hove Albion, all of whom are on nine points after three games.
With Shaw continuing her red-hot form, City look well-positioned for a strong title challenge this season.
Manchester United 3-0 Tottenham: Skinner's side stay perfect in WSL
Manchester United made light work of Tottenham as Marc Skinner's side continued their perfect start to the 2024-25 campaign with a 3-0 win.
Skinner's team moved level on points with Chelsea at the top of the Women's Super League thanks to goals from Elisabeth Terland and Maya Le Tissier on Sunday.
Terland, a summer signing from Brighton, opened her account for United with a quickfire double at the end of the first half at Leigh Sports Village.
The Norway international drilled in after Celin Bizet hit the crossbar, and the latter subsequently teed up Terland's second five minutes later.
United captain Le Tissier settled the contest from the penalty spot following Ashleigh Neville's handball just before the hour mark.
The Red Devils thrashed Spurs 4-0 in their last competitive meeting - the FA Cup final in May - and are now unbeaten in 11 WSL matches against them.
Indeed, this was their ninth win over Spurs in the competition, with United having only beaten Everton on as many occasions.
Data Debrief: United's pristine record
As well as picking up three wins from as many WSL matches, United are yet to concede a goal this season - the only team to have shut all of their opponents out so far.
Skinner continued his impressive record against Spurs, and is now unbeaten in his last eight meetings with them.
It has been a poor start for Spurs, meanwhile. After beating Crystal Palace 4-0 in their opener, they are now winless in three (D1 L2). Only in 2020-21 (0) have Tottenham had one or fewer wins across their opening four top-flight matches of a campaign.
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