Real Madrid are reported to be in pursuit of Aymeric Laporte but face a significant obstacle when it comes to negotiating with the former Manchester City centre-back’s current club, Al Nassr.
Laporte joined Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia for €27.5m (£23.6m) after 180 appearances and five Premier League titles in five and a half years with Manchester City. Despite moving to Saudi Arabia, Laporte continued to play a key role for Spain, contributing to their success at Euro 2024.
Madrid are looking to bolster their center-back options, as they currently have limited depth beyond Antonio Rudiger and Eder Militao. David Alaba is sidelined, potentially until January, and Nacho Fernandez has moved on. Jesus Vallejo is back from loan, but Real have also used Aurelien Tchouameni in defense on several occasions last season.
Initially targeting Leny Yoro, Madrid lost out to Manchester United, who secured the teenage center-back. This situation has shifted their focus to Laporte.
Laporte, who played in La Liga with Athletic Club until 2018, is reportedly willing to leave his lucrative contract in Saudi Arabia, worth €24m net annually, to join Real Madrid. He has already earned that amount but would forgo the remaining €48m if given the chance to move to the Bernabeu. The 30-year-old wouldn’t demand a similar salary at Real Madrid.
However, Madrid hope to sign Laporte on a free transfer, which Al Nassr is unlikely to agree to. Laporte is under contract until 2026, and Al Nassr, who finished second last season, will only allow him to leave if a transfer fee is paid.
Madrid managed to land Kylian Mbappe on a free transfer this summer, though the deal involved a substantial signing bonus. They also spent €134m on Jude Bellingham a year ago and €100m on Tchouameni in 2022. Real Madrid’s reluctance to spend more than €25m on Yoro, who eventually moved to England for over €60m, underscores the financial challenges they face in acquiring Laporte.
