In a recent interview with Manchester City‘s official website, Pep Guardiola provided an update on Eric Garcia’s future at the Etihad Stadium when he revealed that the player is unwilling to pen a new contract and will leave the club at the end of this campaign. The Man City boss said, “We will see what happens at the end of the transfer window.
“I don’t think [he will sign a new contract].
“I am pretty sure he is going to leave at the end of the season and now, in this transfer window, it will depend on the [other] clubs.”
Garcia’s Lack Of First-Team Chances At Man City This Season
The Spanish defender has endured a campaign full of frustrations at the Etihad Stadium as he has failed to make himself a regular starter in Guardiola’s first-team. Garcia has made eight appearances for Man City this term, securing one yellow card and receiving 588 minutes of game time across all competitions.
The Barcelona-born talent has caught the eye because of his defensive contributions in Europe. He is averaging 0.7 tackles, 1.0 interceptions and 1.7 clearances per game in the UEFA Champions League group stages. The 20-year-old has distributed the ball exceptionally when playing his way out from the back after completing 95% of his attempted passes in Premier League football (stats via whoscored).
What Does The Spaniard Bring To The Table?
Garcia has good defensive awareness that allows him to position himself ideally to make a clearance when required. He can also pull off some crucial interceptions at the back but can sometimes lack the pace to get back and defend when he is caught out of position.
The Spanish sensation is a brilliant passer of the ball and has got a decent work-rate. At 20, he will only get better with each season, so Man City would have benefitted from keeping him happy at the Etihad Stadium in the long-run.
Should Man City Sanction Garcia’s Exit This Month?
At the moment, Garcia finds himself behind John Stones and Ruben Dias in Guardiola’s pecking order. However, he can still play a crucial role for Man City in the domestic cup competitions. With the Mancunian giants set to take on Tottenham Hotspur in the EFL Cup final next month, Guardiola would be wise to rely on a useful squad player like Garcia for that game even though the player has his heart set on a move away from Manchester at the end of this campaign.
Furthermore, Man City are still in the FA Cup, so the Spaniard might still get some valuable minutes under his belt if his performance levels do not drop in the coming weeks. With all things considered, it makes sense for Man City to keep hold of Garcia until his contract runs out next summer.
