Aymeric Laporte, the 32-year-old Athletic Bilbao defender and Pau Cubarsí’s partner in Spain’s World Cup-winning team, offered himself to Barcelona during the latter stages of the World Cup. Despite recognition of his quality and strong performances for the national side, Laporte is not included in Barcelona’s plans for defensive reinforcement in the 2026/27 season.
Reports indicate that head coach Hansi Flick does not have an urgent need for a new centre-back, as the squad already has sufficient options. These include Gerard Martí, Eric Garcia, Andreas Christensen, Ronald Araujo (if he does not leave), Jules Koundé, and the academy graduate Álvaro Cortés.
A significant obstacle to any potential transfer is the absence of a release clause in Laporte’s contract with Athletic Bilbao, meaning Barcelona would have to negotiate directly with the Basque club. After complicated situations in prior summers, such as with the Nico Williams case, Barcelona aims to avoid further transfer disputes. Laporte has previously shown interest in joining Barcelona, but financial constraints and Athletic’s 65 million euro release clause in the past stalled any moves. He played in Saudi Arabia for Al-Nassr in the 2023/24 season before returning to Athletic in September 2025.
Despite the player’s proven quality and experience at the highest level, Barcelona does not intend to engage in complex negotiations for Aymeric Laporte in this transfer window.
