In a recent print edition, Sport (Page 5) claimed that Arsenal are showing interest in Barcelona defender Eric Garcia this summer. It has been stated that the Gunners are eager to acquire the services of the Spanish centre-back in this ongoing transfer window.
Garcia’s Impressive Form At The Nou Camp
The 22-year-old enjoyed a decent season at Barcelona recently after he put in a handful of solid displays for them on the defensive third of the pitch. Garcia participated in 32 matches for the Catalan outfit in the previous campaign, scoring one goal and picking up a couple of assists across various competitions.
The Spanish defensive ace was a rock at the back and performed well to average of 1.0 tackles, 0.8 interceptions and 1.4 clearances per 90 minutes in La Liga football. He was even careful when distributing the ball from inside his half as evidenced by his pass completion rate of 91% in the Spanish top flight (stats via whoscored).
Garcia is under contract at the Nou Camp until the summer of 2026. Hence, it won’t be easy for the Gunners to snap him up on a cut-price deal before the end of this month.
Is Garcia A Good Choice For Arsenal Head Coach Mikel Arteta?
Garcia can get stuck in with a few crunching tackles to make life difficult for the opposition attackers inside his half. He can time his challenges well to secure possession back for his team on the defensive third of the pitch. The Spaniard doesn’t mind clearing his lines when the opposition are on the front foot. He is primarily a central defender but can also operate as a holding midfielder if required.
Garcia has already got some valuable experience in the Premier League from his time at Man City. Hence, he won’t take much time to settle into life at Arsenal if Mikel Arteta can devise a way to bring him to the English capital this month.
Garcia would add more bite and steel to Arteta’s defence. He could even help the Gunners compete across all fronts in the coming seasons. With all things considered, he will be an excellent choice for the North London club to consider during this summer transfer period.
