Barcelona’s Rodri and Joao Cancelo deals prompt fresh Aymeric Laporte speculation

Barcelona’s agreement to sign Joao Cancelo and Rodri has intensified planning for the club’s new season, while a social media reaction from Aymeric Laporte has renewed speculation over a possible move to Camp Nou.

The Spain international attracted attention after appearing to “like” an Instagram post by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano about Cancelo and Rodri joining Barcelona.

The interaction does not indicate that negotiations are taking place, nor does it provide evidence of an agreement involving Laporte. However, it has revived discussion about the future of the Athletic Club defender and his potential availability to Barcelona.

The Catalan club’s supporters have been celebrating what are regarded as two major additions, but Laporte’s apparent reaction quickly became another talking point around the club’s transfer plans.

Barcelona’s interest in Laporte is not new. The left-footed defender, who is 32, was described as one of Spain’s leading players during the 2026 World Cup, where he formed a highly effective central defensive partnership with Pau Cubarsi.

That partnership is understood to have been of particular interest to Barcelona. The club is looking for an experienced left-footed centre-back who can provide competition, leadership and additional experience in defence.

Laporte’s profile matches the criteria being set by Barcelona sporting director Deco, although reports suggesting the deal could be straightforward have been challenged.

Early in the transfer window, claims circulated that Laporte had a release clause worth close to 15m euros. Athletic Club moved quickly to deny that figure and made clear it had no intention of making the departure of one of its important players easy.

As a result, the Instagram reaction is being viewed as a possible signal rather than confirmation of any transfer development. A social media “like” can be interpreted in several ways and does not establish that Barcelona have opened discussions with Athletic Club or that Laporte is seeking a move.

Even so, the timing has ensured that his name has returned to the centre of Barcelona’s defensive recruitment debate. The club’s focus has been sharpened by the completion of the deals for Cancelo and Rodri, which have forced the administration to accelerate its wider preparations for the new campaign.

Barcelona are now expected to continue assessing their options at centre-back, with the need for a left-footed defender who combines experience with the ability to compete for a starting place remaining part of Deco’s planning.

Laporte’s international status, his experience and his understanding with Cubarsi during Spain’s World Cup campaign all fit that description. But Athletic Club’s rejection of the reported 15m-euro clause means any move would not necessarily be as simple as some of the initial transfer reports suggested.

For now, Laporte’s online reaction has generated renewed interest, rather than a confirmed negotiation. The defender remains an Athletic Club player, and Barcelona’s interest has yet to develop into an official agreement.