ATHLETIC BILBAO confirmed that world football governing body FIFA has blocked their attempt to sign defender Aymeric Laporte from Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr.
The Basque club stated they tried to complete the transfer on September 1 but encountered external factors beyond their control that prevented the move.
Spanish media reported that the necessary paperwork for the transfer was submitted after the deadline, leading to FIFA’s intervention.
The Spanish football federation requested a special exception from FIFA to allow the transfer to proceed despite the administrative issue.
Athletic Bilbao announced they received formal notification from FIFA on Wednesday that their exemption request had been denied.
The club revealed they are now studying all available legal options within the existing framework to still attempt to secure Laporte’s signature.
Should these efforts prove unsuccessful, the existing agreements between Athletic Bilbao, Al-Nassr, and the player will become void.
Laporte began his career at Athletic Bilbao before transferring to Manchester City in 2018 and subsequently joining Al-Nassr in 2023.
The 31-year-old centre-back has been a key player for the Spanish national team in recent international competitions. – AFP