Barcelona weigh up Laporte at €80m after the World Cup
Aymeric Laporte has become a fixture of European transfer talk after a solid World Cup with Spain. The Athletic Bilbao centre-back formed a trusted partnership with Pau Cubarsí at the heart of the Spanish defence, and the performances did not go unnoticed. Barcelona, through sporting director Deco, have already knocked on the Basque club’s door to ask about price and terms.
Deco went to Qatar to watch the defender
It is understood Deco did not limit himself to a phone call. The Catalan executive attended more than one Spain match during the World Cup, watching Laporte specifically. The interest, then, is not backroom speculation: there was a formal enquiry to Athletic about the player’s contractual situation.
The Basque club’s answer came quickly and without mincing words. Eighty million euros is the figure set to release the defender. A direct message, almost a verbal shield, reflecting how highly the board rates him in the squad – especially after the effort Laporte himself made to wear again the shirt that marked the start of his career.
A return wrapped in bureaucracy
It is worth recalling the path Laporte took to find his way back to Athletic. He had terminated his contract with Al-Nassr of Saudi Arabia in mid-2025. FIFA, however, initially took the view that the transfer paperwork had not been completed within the deadline, which held up the issuing of the international transfer certificate.
Only after an appeal lodged by Athletic together with the Spanish football federation was the decision overturned. That allowed the defender finally to return to the club that produced him, eight years after leaving for the Premier League.
A fixture for the national team, and a Real Madrid target too
Since making his Spain debut, Laporte has been a constant presence whenever physically available, whether under former coach Luis Enrique or with Luis de la Fuente on the bench. Some questioned his call-up for the World Cup, but his displays on the pitch silenced any criticism.
The sports press also links the defender’s name with Real Madrid, but so far only Barcelona have made a formal approach, through Deco. Athletic, for their part, stick to the same line: without the 80 million euros, the player does not leave.
Laporte still has two more seasons under contract with the Basque club and has now made 54 appearances for Spain since the 2021 European Championship. Numbers that underline his status as an undisputed starter and partly explain the fee Bilbao are asking.
