A report from ESPN has recently claimed that Barcelona are unwilling to pay more than €15m for Manchester City defender Eric Garcia this summer as he has got less than a year left on his current contract at the Etihad Stadium. It is believed that the Catalans are eager to re-sign the Spanish centre-back, but will have to cash in on either Samuel Umtiti and Jean-Clair Todibo to fund a move for him in this off-season (via ESPN).
Garcia’s Eye-Catching Season At The Etihad Stadium
The 19-year-old has enjoyed a breakout season at the north-west of England after making 24 appearances for Man City, picking up one assist and one yellow card in multiple competitions. He has secured 1778 minutes of game time so far, which goes to show how well he has performed since the start of this campaign.
Garcia has found some joy when playing in the Premier League where he averaged 0.5 tackles, 1.4 interceptions and 2.4 clearances per 90 minutes of league football. He has been brilliant with his ball-distribution as evident from his pass completion rate of 93.5% in the English top-flight and the UEFA Champions League this term (stats via whoscored).
The Barcelona-born talent could still have a significant role to play for his current employers in the coming weeks as the League Cup champions are set to face off against Olympique Lyonnais in the Champions League quarterfinals on Saturday night.
What Will The Spanish Prospect Bring To The Table?
Garcia is not the quickest of centre-backs, but he can read the game well and can make some vital clearances at the back by snuffing out the danger when called into action by the opposition. He is a decent tackler who has proven his worth as a reliable presence in defence over the past 12 months. However, the Spaniard is prone to making the occasional mistake as he is still quite inexperienced at the top level.
Barca Unwilling To Pay More Than €15m For Garcia: Should Pep Guardiola Cash In On Him?
With Garcia’s contract set to run out at the end of next season, Pep Guardiola should consider selling him off for a bargain fee this summer or risk losing him for free next year. Man City have already got Fernandinho, John Stones and Aymeric Laporte vying for a first-team place at the Etihad next season. They have also managed to add Nathan Ake from Bournemouth earlier this summer. Let’s be honest; City still need better defenders. However, relying on someone who can walk away on a free after 12 months is not the best of ideas.
So, the talented youngster won’t be guaranteed regular game time at Manchester in the upcoming campaign. At 19, Garcia requires more first-team starts if he intends to get better with each season. Therefore, it could be a mutually beneficial move for both the player and the club to part ways before the start of the new campaign.
