It is no secret that Barcelona are in the market for defensive reinforcements, just as much as they are keen on bringing in a new centre-forward.
The club have already been linked with a move for a few top centre-backs across Europe, including Alessandro Bastoni and Aymeric Laporte.
The Laporte option is particularly interesting as the former Man City defender has already built a formidable pairing alongside Pau Cubarsi and could be a natural addition to the team.
However, any move for the veteran defender is unlikely to come cheap, with Athletic Club valuing Laporte at his €80 million release clause, reports Diario AS.
Barcelona sporting director Deco was among those who inquired about the centre-back's situation during the World Cup, even watching him play live on several occasions, starting with Spain's round-of-16 clash in Dallas.
The response from Athletic's hierarchy, though, was emphatic, with the Basque club pointing firmly to his release clause and showing no willingness to negotiate a lower fee.
Laporte's stock has soared following an outstanding tournament, during which his understanding alongside Cubarsi was central to Spain conceding just one goal en route to World Cup glory.
His performances silenced the critics who had questioned his inclusion in the squad, and at 32, he now has a two-year contract remaining at Athletic, the club he fought so hard to rejoin last summer after his spell at Al-Nassr.
Real Madrid have also been credited with interest, though it was Deco who made the concrete enquiry, only to be met with the same firm response.
Beyond the significant valuation, there are further reasons to believe Barcelona will not push ahead with a move for Laporte.
Previous reports have indicated that Barcelona have no desire to enter into any negotiation with Athletic following the Nico Williams saga, which severely damaged the relationship between the two clubs.
That bitter episode has left little appetite at Camp Nou for another complicated dealing with the Basque side.
Combined with Hansi Flick's satisfaction with his current defensive options, it appears increasingly unlikely that Barcelona will make a genuine push for Laporte, despite his obvious quality and proven partnership with Cubarsi.
