FIFA Blocks Athletic Bilbao Transfer Laporte Due To Documentation

Athletic Club has faced a significant setback in their attempt to re-sign defender Aymeric Laporte from Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, as FIFA rejected the Spanish Football Federation's request for an International Transfer Certificate needed to register the player. The transfer was agreed upon on September 1, but due to paperwork delays and external factors beyond Athletic's control, the full transfer process was not completed before the deadline. Despite the denial, Athletic is confident and exploring all legal avenues, including an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, to secure Laporte's registration within the next 15 days. If successful, Laporte could debut later in September but would remain ineligible for the Champions League group stage. The club has warned that if the registration cannot be finalized, all agreements with Laporte and Al-Nassr will become void. This transfer complication adds to recent challenges for Athletic Bilbao, including suspensions for their coach and goalkeeper.