Athletic Club will know for certain next week whether they can sign Aymeric Laporte, after a deal with Al-Nassr did not make it over the line before the Spanish transfer deadline. The Basque giants are desperate to bring back the Spanish international, but are hanging onto slim hopes.
Laporte has been angling for a return to Europe for some time, and Athletic had been showing interest all summer. Yet with both sides trying wrangle the best deal, negotiations did not finish in an agreement until late on, and by the time the deadline passed, the documents still weren’t complete.
FIFA to rule on Laporte case next week
Los Leones have appealed their case to FIFA, in a hope for a reprieve. According to Marca, FIFA intend to rule on the case on Tuesday or Thursday next week, but they also note that Athletic’s chances of getting a favourable ruling are slim. They must demonstrate that the fault lies with Al-Nassr, which is what Athletic allege. Previous precedents suggest they are unlikely to have much luck though.
Athletic Club defensive situation
It’s a significant blow for Athletic, who with Unai Egiluz out injured, and Yeray Alvarez suspended pending the resolution of a positive doping test, are down to just two central defenders in Dani Vivian and Aitor Paredes. Los Leones are of course familiar with having to turn to their academy, but it is far from ideal for Ernesto Valverde.
Spain impact for World Cup
The feeling is in Spain that Laporte’s return to Europe would facilitate his return to the national team, having fallen out of form. Yet if the deal to go back to Athletic collapses, it will significantly hurt his chances of being called up by Luis de la Fuente, with Laporte out of favour at Al-Nassr.
