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Barcelona 'contact' World Cup winner to replicate dream partnership

Sports Illustrated · Jul 21, 2026 19:45 · 3 min read

Barcelona ‘Contact’ World Cup Winner to Replicate Dream Partnership

The La Liga champions are in the market for a new partner for Pau Cubarsí.

Barcelona are hoping to reunite the center back pairing that helped Spain to its second World Cup trophy this summer, with the club exploring a potential move for Aymeric Laporte, reports in Spain have claimed.

Laporte returned to European soccer last year after a relatively brief Saudi excursion, having established himself as one of the world’s premier defenders under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.

Now 32, Laporte proved in North America that he remains at the top of his game, with Spain conceding just once on its way to glory. It’s one of the most impressive World Cup triumphs of recent memory, with La Roja maturing wonderfully as the tournament went on.

Laporte’s partner, Cubarsí, earned plenty of plaudits for his campaign and was the deserving Young Player of the Tournament winner after a faultless performance in the final. However, the Barcelona starlet was aided by Laporte’s serenity alongside him.

The Athletic Club defender struggled to put a foot wrong all tournament, and the center-back-needy Barça are aiming to pull off an astute piece of business.

Barcelona Planning Further Talks with Aymeric Laporte’s Representatives

SPORT understands that the back-to-back La Liga champions have already touched base with Laporte’s representatives and are planning more talks this week.

Assuming the defender is keen on the move, Barcelona should feel that this is a simple deal to pull off. Laporte reportedly has a release clause in his Athletic Club contract worth less than €15 million ($17.1 million).

The 32-year-old returned to Bilbao last summer after a protracted dispute with Saudi Pro League outfit Al Nassr and signed a three-year deal with his former club. He made 25 La Liga appearances last season, and was subsequently named on Luis de la Fuente’s World Cup roster.

While his stock soared during the tournament and should only continue to rise in the aftermath, it looks like Barcelona will have a clear run at the experienced center back.

Hansi Flick is desperate for a new Cubarsí partner, and no option seems more suited than the man who shone alongside the teenager all summer.

Pau Cubarsí Loves Playing Alongside Aymeric Laporte

Pau Cubarsí, Aymeric Laporte — Spain’s centerbacks were outstanding. | Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar/Getty Images

While Spain’s defensive prowess at the World Cup wasn’t merely a result of the two outstanding performances of its center backs, there’s no denying just how brilliantly Cubarsí and Laporte worked together.

In a demanding system not too dissimilar from what Cubarsí has played in for the past couple of years under Hansi Flick, the pair didn’t bat an eyelid. They were seldom flustered, timing their interventions superbly and using possession effectively throughout the tournament.

Cubarsí very much enjoyed playing alongside the former Man City star, saying before the final that he felt "comfortable" next to Laporte.

Speaking about their partnership, the teenager told TV3 (via Mundo Deportivo): “The World Cup has been the first major tournament in which we’ve both been in the starting lineup. I’ve felt very comfortable.

“We’ve both felt very comfortable. We help each other, we instil confidence in one another, and we make ourselves strong so that we concede as few goals as possible. We’re doing well.”

Cubarsí also recognized the similarities between Laporte and his former center back partner, Iñigo Martínez, whom he thrived alongside as Barcelona completed the domestic treble in 2024–25.

“I’ve already been told that it looks as though it were Inigo [Martínez],” he said. “They’re both Basque, they play on the left, they have very similar profiles, and they’ve got character.”