REAL MADRID
Carlo Ancelotti gives green light to Aymeric Laporte acquisition
The Italian coach has approved the arrival of the center back but the Spain international must terminate his contract with Al Nassr with Real Madrid reluctant to pay a transfer fee.
Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies continues to be linked with Real Madrid after the Spanish club saw Leny Yoro elect to move to Manchester United. The former Lille defender (represented by Jorge Mendes), surprised many by turning his back on the Bernabéu club who continue to search for a central defender with the name of 30-year-old Aymeric Laporte, the latest player to be linked with a move to the Spanish champions given the lack of progress relating to the Canadian 23-year-old.
The naturalised Spanish centre-back was one of the star players for Spain at the European Championship and a potential arrival at Madrid has been approved by head coach Carlo Ancelotti. However, for the former Athletic Club defender to secure a move back to LaLiga, he first needs to address his contractual situation with current club Al Nassr. Laporte is currently earning 24 million euros per season in Saudi Arabia and has two years left on his contract as his representative attempts to reach a mutually suitable financial agreement with the Saudi club who at present refuse to accept any such proposals having invested 27 million euro in the player who moved to Riyadh from Manchester City in the summer of 2023.
The defender’s requests have led to an urgent meeting being called between the new Al Nassr sporting director, Fernando Hierro, head coach Luis Castro and Al-Muhaidib, president of the Riyadh based side. Sources within the club consulted by AS, however deny that this meeting has taken place or that it is scheduled and remain confident that Laporte will be sporting the club’s jersey for the 2024-25 Saudi Pro League campaign
Laporte is apparently not prepared to adopt a belligerent stance with his club given the lucrative nature of his current deal, which still has two seasons left to expire but the player is anxious to explore all potential options relating to a move to Real Madrid. Speaking to AS journalist Juan Jiménez last January, the central defender painted an unhappy portrait stating: “At the moment, I have not considered it (leaving), but if I am disappointed in such a short time, you wonder what to do. That moment has not yet arrived, but in the future it could be if the dynamic continues like this.”
After a successful showing at Euro 2024, Laporte now feels that he has more to offer on a major stage and a move to the Bernabeu could fulfil these new sporting ambitions with the Spanish club also feeling that the defender is the missing piece to shore up the central defence following the recent departure of Nacho.