In a recent interview (via goal.com), Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Eric Garcia will play for Barcelona with the player’s current contract at the Etihad Stadium set to run out at the end of this campaign. Guardiola said,
“Eric Garcia is like a son. He was a guy last season that after lockdown was our best central defender. He never made a mistake and played in the quarter-final of the Champions League.
“He’s going to play in Barcelona and that is not an average player – he is a top player. He was not selected in the last two games and it broke my heart.
“That is why it is difficult for all the managers when you have a squad. You cannot imagine what it means.”
Garcia’s Rollercoaster Career At Man City
Garcia has endured a frustrating campaign at Manchester as he has failed to earn regular game time under Guardiola’s stewardship on the field. The Spanish defensive ace has only made nine appearances for the Mancunian outfit this term, picking up one yellow card in the process across all fronts.
The 20-year-old had a far more productive season in the previous term when he appeared in 20 matches for Man City, registering one assist and one yellow card in multiple competitions. Garcia gave a good account of himself by averaging 0.5 tackles, 1.4 interceptions, 2.4 clearances and 0.5 dribbles per 90 minutes in the 2019-20 Premier League campaign. He was also excellent when distributing the ball out from defence as he completed 93.1% of his attempted passes in top-flight football last season (stats via whoscored).
What Will The Spanish Centre-Back Bring To The Nou Camp?
Garcia has proven himself to be a good ball-playing defender during his Man City career. Hence, he will fit into Barcelona’s playing style quite well if/when they manage to land the player next summer. He is usually quick to react to the danger and can make some important interceptions on the defensive end of the field.
The Spanish whizkid also doesn’t take too many chances when clearing his lines and hardly gives away the ball when passing it out from the back. Plus, he is strong in the air but could struggle to keep up with the opposition when left isolated in a 1v1 foot race due to his lack of mobility.
A promising young defender like Garcia will be a welcome addition to the Barca squad, especially because he will be available for free at the end of this season. Koeman has seen his players concede 22 goals in 25 matches which has derailed their title hopes in La Liga. However, one of the main reasons for their defensive shortcomings has been injuries to some of their key defenders. The Spaniard’s addition would go a long way in addressing that problem next season.
Garcia could serve as a perfect long-term successor to Gerard Pique, who showed his age by making a couple of poor mistakes in the disappointing 4-1 first-leg defeat at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League knockout stages last month. At 20, Garcia will be a signing for the long-run, so Koeman should try everything in his power to get him on board in the summer.
