FC Barcelona has pulled out of the race to sign Aymeric Laporte during the current summer transfer window, with the Catalan club concluding that pursuing the deal presents more complications than it is worth at this stage.
Barcelona’s step back is not solely sporting; it is heavily influenced by tense institutional relations with Athletic Bilbao. The dynamic between both boards deteriorated significantly following Barcelona’s persistent attempts to sign Nico Williams.
Barcelona hierarchy recognizes that negotiating with Athletic Bilbao would be far from straightforward, particularly as the Basque side considers Laporte an integral component of their plans for the upcoming season and has no intention of facilitating his exit.
Contrary to media speculation, Laporte does not have a buyout clause that Barcelona could activate to bypass negotiations with Bilbao. Any transfer would require direct agreement with the Basque club, especially given that the 2026 World Cup winner’s contract runs through June 2028.
This requirement forms the core hurdle for Barcelona. Given the rocky relationship between the two clubs, pursuing negotiations would be administratively and financially draining. Sporting Director Deco remains unwilling to engage in a lengthy, drawn-out saga for a 32-year-old defender.
Laporte returned to Athletic Bilbao following his stint with Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr to resume his La Liga career and solidify his role with the Spain national team. His standout performances for La Roja during the 2026 World Cup initially sparked Barcelona’s interest.
With central defensive options like Pau Cubarsí, Ronald Araújo, Jules Koundé, Andreas Christensen, and Eric García already in the squad, Barcelona does not view signing a center-back as an absolute priority to warrant escalating the situation.
