🥹 Aymeric Laporte, an emotional return that excites Athletic fans | OneFootball

The Athletic Club has made the dream of thousands of fans and the player himself come true. After seven long years, defender Aymeric Laporte has completed his much-anticipated return to the home that saw him grow. The news, which developed amidst moments of uncertainty, has become a reality that rekindles hope for the Basque team.

The signing of the agreement was not a straightforward process. Laporte revealed during his official presentation that the journey was "long" and filled with "difficult moments". Despite the negotiation with his previous club, Al-Nassr, extending until the last minute of the transfer window, Laporte remained firm in his decision.

"Returning to Athletic was my only goal in this market", confessed the center-back. "I told them there were other clubs willing to pay more, but my priority was clear". FIFA initially deemed the operation late, but eventually reversed its decision and validated the transfer, unleashing a wave of emotion and tears in the player's family. "When they told me everything was fine, there was great emotion and tears in the family", he recounted.

Laporte's desire to wear the red and white jersey again is not new. The player confessed that he had already tried to return two years ago, but at that time Manchester City, the club with which he had a current contract, opted for a more lucrative transfer with Al-Nassr. However, with only one year remaining on his contract and the player's firm intention, the agreement was finally able to be completed.

Laporte did not hide his excitement about returning to Lezama, the place where he was trained. "When I returned to Lezama the other day, I felt that childhood smell", he expressed, reflecting the deep bond he has with Athletic. His return is not just that of an elite defender, but of a prodigal son coming home to continue writing his story.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

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