Laporte's return to Athletic not completely closed

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21/04/26 21:30:00

2.38 3.30 3.00

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The Athletic Club has achieved what just a few months ago seemed like a pipe dream: the return of Aymeric Laporte to San Mamés. The center-back, who was representing Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, reached an agreement to terminate his contract and come back to the place that was his home for years.

However, the excitement in Bilbao is tinged with some concern, as at this time, the club has still not received the final confirmation that would allow them to register the player in LaLiga and, more urgently, in the Champions League.

Athletic races against the clock to register Laporte

The deal is closed from a sporting and contractual perspective, but bureaucracy continues to play a key role. As reported by MundoDeportivo, the documentation submitted in the final hours of the summer transfer market is awaiting a final review. This detail prevented the defender's official incorporation yesterday. Both the Bilbao club and the player himself are working against the clock for the registration to be completed before midnight tonight, the deadline set by UEFA to register players for the group stage of the top continental competition.

The European regulation is clear: all teams competing in the Champions League group stage must submit their player lists before 00:00 CEST on September 2nd. Once this deadline is passed, any signing will automatically be ineligible to participate in the competition. This makes the situation of Athletic a true race against time.

The pressure is immense. In Bilbao, there is great enthusiasm for the return of a player who made his mark before leaving for Manchester City in 2018. His international experience, defensive leadership, and quality on the ball are seen as a competitive leap for a team that aims to shine in Europe. However, this will be of little use if bureaucracy prevails over sporting desire.

Sources close to the club confirm that the administrative staff are in constant contact with LaLiga and the competent authorities to resolve the situation. Meanwhile, Laporte is already in the city, ready to follow his coach's orders as soon as the green light is given.

The excitement of the red-and-white fans is evident. Laporte's return is more than a reinforcement: it symbolizes the comeback of a player developed in Lezama who decided to return while still in his prime. Now everything depends on the successful progress of the negotiations in the coming hours. The clock ticks, and San Mamés holds its breath.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El regreso de Laporte al Athletic no está del todo cerrado