Athletic Club sporting director Mikel González says he has not heard from Barcelona with regards a potential move for Aymeric Laporte and has warned the Catalans off the defender.
Laporte has struck up a formidable partnership with Pau Cubarsi at World Cup 2026 for Spain, meaning the rumor mill has predictably claimed Barca could try to sign the defender this summer.
Gonzalez was asked about the speculation and played down talk that his side could sell Laporte to Barca.
“We have not received any contact,
nor any official or even unofficial offer from the Barcelona board in relation to the signing of Aymeric Laporte,” he told365Scores, via Sport.
“At the moment there are no negotiations of any kind between the two clubs, and everything that is being spread in the different media are nothing more than rumors that have no relation to reality.
“Laporte is one of the key elements in the team’s project for the new season, and we have great confidence in his technical skills and accumulated experience, so we never thought about his departure.
“Aymeric Laporte will continue with us and will not leave during the current summer transfer window, because we consider him a key player and an important element within the team.”
Laporte and Cubarsi will team up again on Sunday in the World Cup final against Argentina, while Barcelona’s focus continues to be on trying to sign Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid.
