In a recent report, ESPN has claimed that Barcelona are eyeing a January move for Manchester City defender Eric Garcia. However, the Catalan club’s next president would have to agree on sanctioning such a move if they want to recruit the Spanish centre-back during the winter transfer period (via ESPN).
Garcia’s Current Situation And Recent Form In England
Garcia’s contract with Man City runs out at the end of this campaign, so it makes sense for Pep Guardiola to cash in on his services for a bargain fee in January rather than lose him for free next summer.
The Barcelona-born youngster has found game time hard to come by at the Etihad Stadium this season. Garcia has featured in four matches for the Mancunian outfit this term and deserves a pat on the back for averaging 2.5 tackles, 1.5 interceptions, 2.5 clearances, 0.5 shots and 0.5 key passes per game in the Premier League thus far. The 19-year-old has also been quite tidy when passing the ball out from defence as evident from his pass success rate of 95.5% in the English first division (stats via whoscored).
Despite the lack of game time this season, Garcia has proven his worth as a valuable squad player over the past 18 months. Therefore, Barca would do well to lure him away from Manchester when the transfer reopens at the start of next year.
What Are The Spanish International’s Best Attributes?
Garcia can read the game well and is often quick to sense the danger at the back. He doesn’t take too many risks in the defensive end of the field and can clear his lines when in danger of losing the ball inside his half.
The two-time Spanish international can time his challenges well to earn possession back for his team and is usually very careful when distributing the ball and linking up play with his teammates. However, one can argue whether he has enough experience to play regular first-team football at the Nou Camp in the coming seasons.
Is Garcia The Right Choice For Barca?
Garcia could serve as an ideal long-term replacement for Gerard Pique, but at the moment, he might not be the best option to solve Ronald Koeman’s defensive issues. However, the Spaniard could potentially become a world-class centre-half in the future if he can continue improving himself with each year.
The Catalan giants would need to be patient if they end up signing Garcia this winter. However, with Pique guiding him and a chance to strike up a dominant defensive partnership with Clement Lenglet, this move might just work out for Barca and the Man City whizkid in the long-run. With all things considered, Garcia would be a wise choice for Koeman but only if he is given enough time to prove his true worth at the Nou Camp.
