Aymeric Laporte could leave Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr to return to former club: Reports

Central defender Aymeric Laporte reportedly looks set to leave Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr to return to Athletic Club.

Laporte has been open about his aspiration of returning to his former club and has also termed the Spanish side as his "soul team" (via Fichajes).

Athletic were reportedly interested in his services last summer but their advances were thwarted by Manchester City's exorbitant valuation and Al-Nassr's proposal, which ended with the defender moving to Saudi Arabia.

Now according to Estadio Deportivo (via Fichajes), Laporte has been seen attending a match at San Mames and his father was reportedly present at an Athletic training session. These have stoked the rumors about a potential move even more.

Laporte's tenure at Athletic spanned six years from 2012 to 2018, in which he made 222 appearances. He then earned a transfer to Manchester City where he featured in 180 games. His career then took him to Al Nassr in August 2023, where he has thus far participated in nine Saudi Pro League matches, finding the back of the net once.

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Cristiano Ronaldo's impact on Saudi Arabian football

Cristiano Ronaldo's transfer to Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia was a crucial moment in the world of football, pushing up the nation's prominence in the sport. This high-profile move set off a chain reaction, attracting Sadio Mane, Karim Benzema, Jordan Henderson, Roberto Firmino, N'Golo Kante, and Neymar to Saudi Arabian clubs.

Ronaldo's financial gains from this venture are staggering. Reports suggest he may now be the world's highest-paid athlete. As per Al-Jazeera (via Marca), his annual salary is estimated at a colossal $220 million, with his contract running until 2025.

Forbes notes that Ronaldo's career earnings surpassed the billion-dollar mark in 2020, making him the first professional athlete to achieve this feat. His net worth, factoring in wages, endorsements, real estate, and advertisement deals, is approximated at around $500 million.

Cristiano Ronaldo's influential image has been leveraged to bolster Saudi Arabia's bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup - a bid that has recently come to fruition. On the field, his performance for Al-Nassr has been remarkable. He has scored 36 goals in 42 matches since his arrival in the 2022-23 season.