Athletic Bilbao Rejects Barcelona's Low Offer for Aymeric Laporte

Athletic Bilbao have sent a blunt message to Barcelona over Aymeric Laporte: if you want him, pay up. All of it.

The Basque club, already irritated by the recent Nico Williams saga, have reacted sharply to growing noise around Laporte’s future after his superb World Cup. According to Sport, sources inside San Mamés insist the defender’s release clause is far higher than the figures being floated in Spain and beyond.

Those figures, estimated by some at between €12 million and €15 million, have been dismissed out of hand. Bilbao officials are adamant the real number is closer to double that range, a deliberate show of strength aimed squarely at Barcelona’s recruitment department.

This is not just any transfer target. Laporte was one of the standout defenders at the World Cup, forging a composed, intelligent partnership with Pau Cubarsí at the heart of the Matador back line. Together they formed a near-impenetrable barrier, conceding just a single goal on the way to the title. That kind of visibility, alongside a Barcelona prodigy, was always going to draw attention in Catalonia.

Sport recently revealed Barça’s concrete interest in bringing Laporte to the Spotify Camp Nou, and the report lit a fuse in Bilbao. The sense inside the club is that history is repeating itself: Barcelona, once again, circling a key figure in their project while the player is tied to a long contract — in this case, until the summer of 2028.

The response from the Basque boardroom has been simple and uncompromising. There will be no negotiation, no discount, no middle ground. Any club, and particularly Barcelona, must trigger the full release clause if they want to prise Laporte away.

Even if Barça were willing to meet that price, another obstacle stands in the way. Hansi Flick’s central defensive department is already crowded. The German coach has five centre-backs at his disposal: Pau Cubarsí, Eric García, Gerard Martín, Ronald Araújo and Andreas Christensen. Before Laporte can even think about swapping Bilbao for Barcelona, someone from that group would have to move on.

For now, Laporte remains locked into Bilbao’s plans and protected by a clause that looks designed to scare off opportunistic bids. Barcelona know exactly what it would take. The question is whether they are prepared to start their defensive rebuild by paying a premium to a club in no mood to sell.