- Laporte’s move to Athletic stalled
- Al-Nassr furious at Spanish defender
- 31-year-old wants return to Basque club
Even after Al-Nassr sporting director Simao Coutinho and manager Jorge Jesus declared that Laporte would not stay at Al-Nassr, his move to Athletic remains blocked due to his €25 million (£22m/$29m) salary. According to Marca the Spanish defender had demanded a contract termination, which angered the Saudi side since it would help Athletic secure a free transfer for him.
Athletic made numerous attempts over the past few days to ensure Laporte joins the Basque club during his vacation in Portugal. The Saudi Arabian club have been vocal about Laporte and Otavio not continuing at the club, but they now tend to use both players in the AFC Champions League 2 to avoid sanctions by FIFA for not registering either player. A return to the Basque club will help Laporte’s hopes of making the Spain team for the 2026 World Cup.
Laporte joined Athletic’s senior team back in 2012 and was a mainstay until 2018, when he moved to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. Notably, he has played 222 matches for the Basque club, the most for any club in his career until now.
Staying at Al-Nassr would offer only a handful of matches to the Spanish international in the continental competition. Hence, a move abroad is necessary for the defender to ensure his place at the upcoming competition in 2026.
