'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAFAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMF/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgT/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAALYxA//EACAQAAICAQMFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIDAQQFABMVITFBktL/2gAIAQEAAT8Ao1lPwdzKIGE2nUqz+sQYizf2ZL10arEmU8nku/ho/Ov/xAAZEQEAAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAQMABBH/2gAIAQIBAT8A06Q6YSjuf//EABYRAAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADMv/aAAgBAwEBPwBtH//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Athletic Bilbao are reportedly eyeing Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr teammate Ayemeric Laporte this summer.
The Spaniard has contributed four goals and an assist in 37 games across competitions this season. He's contracted with Al-Alami till 2026, but as per Marca, Athletic are looking for a new centre-back.
The La Liga club are facing a crisis of sorts at the heart of defence. Ernesto Valverde's side have only three specialists in their squad for the position. One of them, Dani Vivian, was not in the squad for the Getafe La Liga game at the weekend.
The two others - Yeray Alvarez and Aitor Paredes - got sent off as Athletic slumped to a 2-0 defeat, finishing with nine men. Before the game, boss Valverde had said (as per Marca):
"We have supported ourselves with two centre-backs, and we have played with fire, which does not usually go well."
With a new centre-back a priority for Bilbao, Laporte - who played for the club for six seasons - has emerged as an option, and the club are prepared to hand him a three-year contract.
However, Al-Nassr - having bought the player for a reported €25 million from Manchester City last summer - are not prepared to let Laporte go without a fight, potentially complicating Athletic's pursuit of the player.
How has Cristiano Ronaldo fared for Al-Nassr this season?
Cristiano Ronaldo is having a fabulous first full season in Saudi Arabian football. Having joined as a free agent in December 2022, the 39-year-old is leading his team from the front.
In 40 games across competitions, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner has racked up an impressive tally of 41 goals and 12 assists across competitions. Most of those goal contributions - 32 goals and 10 assists - have come in the league, where Al-Alami only trail runaway leaders Al-Hilal by nine points, having played a game more.
Ronaldo has also struck six times and provided an assist in eight games in his maiden AFC Champions League campaign, where his team lost to Al-Ain on penalties in the quarterfinals.
