FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Saudi Pro League - Al Taawoun v Al Nassr - King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, Buraidah, Saudi Arabia - January 17, 2025 Al Nassr's Aymeric Laporte celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo
(Reuters) -Athletic Bilbao have signed Aymeric Laporte from Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr after FIFA approved the transfer of the Spanish defender, the LaLiga club said
Bilbao had moved to bring Laporte back to San Mames on September 1 but the transfer did not go through before the deadline, with Spanish media reporting Al-Nassr had not filed the details into FIFA's Transfer Matching System.
Earlier this month, FIFA rejected a request from Spain's football federation (RFEF) to make an exception for Laporte.
Al-Nassr did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Bilbao said in a statement on Thursday that it had authorised RFEF to seek an International Transfer Certificate from its Saudi counterpart and later confirmed the move had been completed, with the 31-year-old signing a three-year contract.
Laporte clocked up 222 appearances for the Basque club before joining Manchester City in 2018, winning five Premier League titles, two FA Cups, three League Cups and the Champions League, before moving to Al-Nassr in 2023.
Bilbao are second in LaLiga with three wins from three matches and next host Alaves on Saturday.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
