How did the 'rescue' journey of Laporte take place?

Although he was thought to be suspended until January because Al Nassr submitted his application late, Laporte was successfully lobbied by AFE, RFEF and Athletic to have FIFA confirm the deal was valid, helping him return to San Mamés in time.

Laporte eventually left Al Nassr.

Perhaps even the talented director Steven Spielberg would have had difficulty staging such a dramatic scenario. Aymeric Laporte's return to Athletic Club turned into a detective film with all the emotions: from hope, despair, to the happy ending at the last minute.

When the European transfer window closed at 11:59 p.m. on September 1, all procedures between Laporte, Athletic and Al Nassr had reached an agreement. But trouble arose when the Saudi Arabian club submitted their documents late, causing Laporte's name to not appear in the FIFA system.

The biggest risk: the Spanish midfielder could be suspended until January 2026, losing the opportunity to play in La Liga and affecting his position in the national team.

Laporte, 31, is not content to sit around in the gilded cage in Saudi Arabia. But without a strong intervention, the door to his career will be closed in front of him.

As early as September 2, the “rescue” campaign was activated. David Aganzo – President of the Spanish Footballers’ Association (AFE) – directly contacted Laporte, his representative and FIFA leader. He made non-stop phone calls to Zurich, even to President Gianni Infantino, with a clear message: “FIFA always says it protects players, so prove it now.”

In parallel, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) also jumped in, working with Athletic to find a legal basis to save the deal. Not only for the benefit of the Basque club, but also for the national interest: Coach Luis de la Fuente publicly admitted, “Laporte is an invaluable asset to Spanish football, one of the world’s top central defenders.”

Laporte returned to Europe to play for Atheltic Bilbao.

FIFA maintained a hard line throughout the first half of the week. The file arrived late, which meant… no exceptions. But the evidence Laporte provided—a three-way contract signed before the deadline, Al Nassr starting the process of uploading the data to the system—became the turning point.

On the morning of September 11, the important call from FIFA came: the documents were verified, the deal was valid. The giant machine of world football finally admitted the truth: everything was completed on time, it was just a technical delay.

That day, Athletic officially announced a contract with Laporte until 2028. From the risk of sitting out half a season, the Spanish midfielder was able to immediately play for his old team, where he grew up and made his name.

The deal not only brought smiles to Laporte and Athletic fans, but also served as a reminder to FIFA that players should not be victims of bureaucratic errors. And above all, it proved that in football, sometimes a series of phone calls and persistent negotiations can change fates.

San Mamés now welcomes not only a new signing, but also the return of a son of the Basque country – a man who was once almost “imprisoned” in a golden cage in the desert.

Source: https://znews.vn/hanh-trinh-giai-cuu-laporte-dien-ra-nhu-the-nao-post1584600.html