Athletic Club have signed Aymeric Laporte from Al Nassr after not completing the deal during the summer transfer window.
Laporte has signed a contract until 2028 with the La Liga side.
On September 3 Athletic released a statement outlining that — despite agreeing a deal with the Saudi Pro League side — FIFA had rejected the Spanish Football Federation’s (RFEF) request for an International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and the move could not be completed. The transfer had not been finalised on the deadline day of September 1 and the world football governing body had not approved their application for an exception.
On Thursday, however, Athletic released a follow-up statement to say that FIFA has now allowed the RFEF to get an ITC from the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, which would allow the centre-back to register with them, six-and-a-half years after he left Spain.
💥 Aymeric Laporte rejoins Athletic Club on a contract until 2⃣0⃣2⃣8⃣.
The international centre-back returns home to Bilbao, the place where he started his career and made 222 appearances as a Lion between 2012 and 2018. #OngiEtorriLaporte #AthleticClub 🦁
— Athletic Club (@Athletic_en) September 11, 2025
The Athletic reported on transfer deadline day that the deal was being finalised, though Laporte had one year left on his contract with Al Nassr.
The 31-year-old made 222 appearances for Athletic during his first spell of around six years. He then joined Manchester City in 2018 where he won 13 trophies over five-and-a-half seasons, five of which were Premier League titles, before moving to the Saudi Arabian club.
Laporte has made 40 senior international appearances for Spain, despite playing for France as a youth international, but he has not played for his country since November 2024.
(Photo: Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images)
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