Athletic Bilbao was blocked for signing defender Aymeric Laporte by World Football Board FIFA, the Spanish club said Wednesday.
The Basque side said it was trying to sign him of the Saudi Arab club Al-Nassr on 1 September, but it could not be completed for «external factors outside (athletic) control», in which Spanish media said that the paperwork was submitted late.
The Spanish Federation asked FIFA to provide an exception for the relocation of Laporte, but Athletic said it was informed on Wednesday that FIFA had refused the request.
Athletic said it «studied all possibilities within the existing legal framework» to still try to bring in Laporte, but if it was not possible, then the similarities with the player and Al-Nassr are invalid.
Spain Center-Back Laporte, 31, left athletic for Manchester City in 2018 before he came to Al-Nassr in 2023.
Published on 04 September 2025
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