Athletic send Laporte message to Barcelona with €80m price tag

Athletic is doing everything it can to make sure Aymeric Laporte does not become someone else's signing. The 32-year-old centre-back impressed at the 2026 World Cup, where his Spain team lifted the trophy, and that has put him back in the spotlight ahead of his return to club duty with the Basque side. Barcelona is one of the clubs interested in the defender, but the Basque side is not willing to make it easy. Athletic has set an asking price of at least €80m, a figure intended to scare off potential buyers while Laporte still has two years left on his contract. Barcelona sporting director Deco was personally present at Spain's World Cup matches, with Laporte the player he had come to watch. Whether that interest turns into a formal offer remains unclear, but Athletic has already made its position very clear.