Athletic Club are reportedly pushing back against claims that Barcelona could sign Aymeric Laporte for a relatively modest €12-15 million. The latest report suggests the Basque club do not accept that figure and instead want around double, raising the potential cost of any move.
The response appears aimed at cooling the growing talk around Laporte and Barcelona. While the defender has been discussed as a target, Athletic’s position indicates that any transfer would be more complicated than recent speculation suggested.
If Athletic Club maintain that higher valuation, Barcelona would face a more demanding negotiation over the Spain international. A gap between the reported expectation and the club’s asking price could become a major obstacle, especially if Barcelona are trying to strengthen the squad without overspending.
For now, the clearest message from Athletic Club is that Laporte will not be available on the cheap. Unless the two sides move closer on the numbers, reports linking Aymeric Laporte to Barcelona are likely to remain a topic of debate rather than an imminent deal.
