Deal OFF! Why Athletic Club defender Aymeric Laporte’s surprise summer transfer to Barcelona collapsed despite €15m hope
The failed Laporte pursuit highlights the ongoing friction between the Blaugrana and Athletic Club. Relations between the two Spanish institutions remain heavily strained following Barca’s prolonged and ultimately unsuccessful public chase of Nico Williams.
Consequently, the Blaugrana hierarchy possessed zero appetite to engage in another drawn-out transfer saga. Once the inflated asking price was set, Barcelona walked away entirely, keenly aware that Laporte remains under contract in Bilbao until June 2028 after his €10 million return from Al-Nassr last year.
The Catalan side explored alternative defensive options, including a move for FC Twente’s Ruud Nijstad, but also failed to reach an agreement. Ultimately, Barcelona ended the summer window without signing the left-footed central defender they desperately craved.
