According to Mundo Deportivo, Arsenal are among clubs tracking Eric Garcia. The Manchester City defender is destined to leave Etihad Stadium in the summer, following the end of his contract, with a number of clubs interested in his services. He is already on the top of the agenda for Barcelona, but it appears the Spanish giants could face stiff competition from Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta having a good relationship with the player.
Eric Garcia: Player Profile
Eric Garcia has been regarded as one of the most promising defensive prospects in Spain following his breakthrough in the Premier League last season. He featured in 13 league matches, deputising for the injured Aymeric Laporte whenever he was required. He has also won four caps for La Roja and is tipped to win a place in the squad for the upcoming European Championship.
Although Garcia has fallen behind the pecking order at Manchester City this season, he still remains one of their most talented defensive prodigies. His superior skills, when it comes to passing and ball distribution, make him a useful ball-playing centre-back. But more importantly, the Spaniard has an excellent positioning sense that allows him to remain one step ahead of the opposition.
What makes Garcia more appealing is that his contract at Etihad expires at the end of the season. It means he will be available for free in the summer unless any interested party opts to make a move in this January transfer window.
A Bargain For Arsenal?
Arsenal could be set for a massive overhaul in the defensive unit in the summer. The Gunners have already offloaded fringe players like Sokratis and Sead Kolasinac in the ongoing January transfer window, with Shkodran Mustafi also expected to leave the club soon.
David Luiz could be another player leaving the Emirates in the summer while questions can be raised regarding the overall quality of Rob Holding and Calum Chambers. Hence, Arteta needs to find some strong competition for Pablo Mari and Gabriel Magalhaes next season – making Garcia an ideal target for the Gunners.
From a tactical perspective, Garcia’s passing, positioning sense and past experience of playing under Arteta could be useful for the Arsenal manager. At the age of 20, the Spaniard brings a lot of prospect for the future as well. He can, in fact, potentially emerge as the face of the Arsenal defence for years to come.
The young Manchester City centre-back has already made his breakthrough in the Premier League and shouldn’t find any difficulty settling in at Emirates either. And with his contract expiring in the summer, he could indeed be a bargain for the Gunners.
