Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte has allegedly flown to Spain in order to discover the extent of a knee injury sustained against Brighton & Hove Albion.

The France international was stretchered off during the first half of the 4-0 victory over the Seagulls, immediately leading to concerns over his availability going forward.

Despite undergoing a scan in the North-West, The Mirror claims that the 25-year-old has since flown to Barcelona to be assessed by Dr Ramon Cugat.

Having undergone tests on Monday, the report claims that Laporte is expected to be ruled out for a number of months as a result of ligament damage.

The setback for the former Athletic Bilbao man comes at a time when City are already without John Stones, leaving Fernandinho to deputise during the remaining minutes against Brighton.

Manager Pep Guardiola has said that City were unable to afford a replacement for Vincent Kompany during the summer transfer window.