FC Barcelona were unable to sign centre back Eric Garcia from Manchester City.
The Catalan club made several bids to sign Garcia, including one worth £15.4m with add ons on the transfer window deadline day, but the bids were rejected by Manchester City. The club is now planning to try and sign him during the January transfer window.
Garcia is a FC Barcelona academy graduate who signed for Premier League club Manchester City in 2018. Under head coach Pep Guardiola, Garcia earned his place in the starting XI of the team and has become a prolific player ever since.
Meanwhile, FC Barcelona are short on defenders, and Garcia could fill in this void. Head coach Ronald Koeman admitted that FC Barcelona are trying to sign Garcia and told the media. ”It’s true we want Eric Garcia here. I’ve seen Pep’s comments and that’s how it is. I hope we get it done but we know the situation is tough financially. There’s interest, but I don’t know if we will get it over the line.”
Manchester City coach Guardiola previously claimed that while the club is trying to renew the centre back’s contract, but he does not want to. Garcia himself even claimed that he does not plan on extending his contract with Manchester City beyond 2021.
Recently, Guardiola expressed uncertainty when asked about the defender and claimed, “Today he’s our player, on Monday finishes the transfer window so I don’t know, I don’t know exactly what is going to happen.”
As a FC Barcelona academy graduate, Garcia knows well the Barca style of play would have been a good fit. As Barca fans would say, “he has Barca DNA.”
Garcia is now on international duty with the Spain National Team and is expected to return to Manchester City after the international break.
