Aymeric Laporte has explained why he decided to leave Al-Nassr at the last minute, admitting his move to Saudi Arabia “wasn’t what I was looking for” as he set out his reasons for wanting a different challenge.
The Athletic Club defender, who only joined Al-Nassr in 2023, said the experience in the Saudi Pro League did not match what he wanted at that stage of his career. “Saudi Arabia wasn’t what I was looking for,” Laporte said, as he opened up on the dramatic end to his time at the Riyadh club.
Laporte’s comments reveal that the late twist in his situation was driven by his personal feeling about the project and his day-to-day football, rather than anything else. He made clear he was looking for something different, and that ultimately led him to change course.
The Spain international is now back at Athletic Club, where he has returned to life in La Liga after his short spell in the Middle East. His explanation comes as he continues to settle back in Bilbao and focus on the new season.
Laporte also addressed interest from elsewhere, with the defender confirming he had the chance to move to Marseille but chose not to take it. He explained why he rejected the Ligue 1 option as he outlined the factors that pushed him towards a different path.
The centre-back’s account provides the clearest picture yet of why his Al-Nassr exit happened so late, with Laporte insisting the Saudi move simply did not turn out to be the right fit for him.
