In a recent print edition, Mundo Deportivo has claimed that Barcelona are eyeing an improved offer for Manchester City defender Eric Garcia this week. It is understood that the Catalans have already seen the Mancunian outfit decline their initial offer but their second bid won’t exceed €15m with Man City set to demand at least €18m for their prized asset during this summer transfer window (transcripted and translated by Sport Witness).
Garcia’s Recent Emergence At Manchester
It was a brilliant breakout year for the young Spaniard last season when he established himself as a precious member of Pep Guardiola’s matchday squad. Garcia put in some dominant defensive displays over the past 12 months, which seems to have raised his stock in European football.
The Barcelona-born prospect participated in 20 matches for the Mancunian outfit in the previous campaign, picking up one yellow card and one assist in the process on all fronts. The 19-year-old showed a few signs of progress as he averaged 0.5 tackles, 1.4 interceptions and 2.4 clearances per 90 minutes in the 2019-20 Premier League season. The Spanish defensive ace was excellent when interchanging possession with his teammates and playing the ball out from the back as evident from his pass completion rate of 93.1% in the English top-flight (stats via whoscored).
Garcia’s current deal at the Etihad Stadium is set to expire at the end of this campaign, so Man City will have no choice but to cash in on him during this ongoing transfer window or else risk losing him for free next summer.
What Are The Spanish Youngster’s Best Attributes?
Garcia has proven himself to be a useful presence in Guardiola’s defensive department by making some important interceptions for his team on the defensive end of the field. He excels at reading the danger quickly and is not afraid to clear his lines when left exposed in and around his penalty area. Standing at 1.83m, the one-time Spanish international is a strong presence in the air, and as mentioned earlier, he is usually very tidy when distributing the ball out from the back.
Should Man City Cut Garcia Loose This Summer?
A centre-back of Garcia’s potential could benefit from a switch back to his homeland as he aspires to become a top-level defender someday. Therefore, Guardiola should not stand in the player’s way if he is not planning to use him more often during this campaign.
Man City have currently got Nathan Ake, Aymeric Laporte and John Stones as their first-choice centre-backs while Fernandinho can also provide cover for that position if needed. Therefore, the reigning EFL Cup holders can cope with Garcia’s departure, especially if they decide to bring in another centre-half this summer. All in all, it is only fair to the player if Man City shipped him out of the club before the summer transfer deadline next month.
