Athletic Bilbao Rejects Barcelona's Approach for Laporte

Athletic Bilbao have delivered a blunt message to Barcelona over Aymeric Laporte: if you want him, pay every last cent of his release clause.

Barcelona’s interest in the defender has surged after his outstanding World Cup, where he formed a rock-solid partnership with Pau Cubarsí. The pair anchored the Matador’s back line and conceded just one goal across the entire tournament, a platform that pushed Laporte straight back into the market spotlight.

That spotlight has not gone down well in Bilbao.

The Catalan club’s pursuit was laid bare by Sport, and the leak has infuriated the Basque hierarchy. Still simmering from the Nico Williams saga, Athletic feel Barcelona are once again circling one of their key assets and have responded with a hard-line stance.

Inside San Mamés, there is no appetite for negotiation. Club sources, cited by Sport, insist that Laporte will only leave if his full release clause is met. No discounts. No instalment tricks. No backdoor deals.

The figures being floated publicly have only fuelled the tension. Some reports have placed the clause in the 12 to 15 million euro range, a number that would make Laporte an opportunistic bargain in today’s market. Bilbao officials have moved quickly to crush that narrative, stressing that the true amount is close to double those estimates.

The message is clear: anyone expecting a cut-price deal has misread the room.

Bilbao can afford to be stubborn. Laporte is under contract until the summer of 2028, and the club hold a strong negotiating position, especially after his World Cup resurgence alongside Cubarsí. Letting him go on the cheap would undermine everything they have fought for in recent years, both on the pitch and at the negotiating table.

For Barcelona, the attraction is obvious. Laporte knows the league, fits their passing style, and has already shown instant chemistry with Cubarsí on the biggest stage. On paper, he looks like a defender ready-made for Hansi Flick’s back line.

Reality is more complicated.

Flick already has five central defenders: Pau Cubarsí, Eric García, Gerard Martín, Ronald Araújo and Andreas Christensen. Any move for Laporte would first demand an exit from that group, both to free up minutes and to ease the financial strain.

So Barcelona face a double hurdle: sell a defender, then convince Athletic to part with Laporte at full price. No wriggle room, no negotiation cushion.

Bilbao have drawn their line. Now the question is simple: are Barcelona willing, or even able, to cross it?