Spain's World Cup triumph has significantly boosted the value of several of Luis de la Fuente's squad, with Laporte among the biggest beneficiaries after forming a commanding central defensive partnership with Pau Cubarsi that helped Spain concede just once across the entire tournament.
Barcelona sporting director Deco tracked Laporte's situation closely throughout the World Cup, turning up in person to watch him play on more than one occasion — his first look coming at Spain's last-16 win in Dallas — but Athletic Club's response left no room for negotiation: the release clause stands at €80m, and the Basque club have no intention of accepting anything less.
Real Madrid have also been credited with interest, though it is understood only Barcelona made a formal enquiry through Deco. Athletic's stance is unlikely to soften for either suitor, with the club still frustrated over Barcelona's pursuit of Nico Williams and unwilling to let another key player leave on the cheap.
Laporte has two years left on his contract and has made 54 appearances for Spain since Euro 2024, having fought hard to return to Athletic from Al Nassr last summer after the Saudi Arabian side initially disputed the terms of his exit — a saga that delayed his transfer until FIFA and the Spanish federation intervened to overturn the decision.
Some critics had questioned Laporte's inclusion in Spain's World Cup squad before the tournament began, pointing to his time away from top-level European football in Saudi Arabia. His performances alongside Cubarsi throughout the campaign silenced that doubt entirely.
Laporte, who won 13 trophies including five Premier League titles and a Champions League during his time at Manchester City, previously sought a return to Real Madrid in the summer of 2024 after struggling to settle in Riyadh, though that interest never developed into a formal negotiation — a pattern that has now repeated itself with this summer's renewed speculation.