Pep speaks on Barcelona interest in Eric Garcia

Barcelona see the Man City center-back as key to their rebuild.

Barcelona have identified Eric Garcia as one of their main targets ahead of next season. The 19-year-old center back has gotten more opportunities under Pep Guardiola this season and has impressed.

The Catalan giants see Garcia as both a signing for right now and for the future. Guardiola views him the same way and has responded to his former club’s interest in his player.

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"“Eric has another year on his contract. If Barça want him they need to call (us). But we are going to try to convince him  (to stay) because we want him here for many years.”Source: Diario Sport"

Garcia started out in the Barcelona youth system before accepting a deal and moving to Manchester City back in 2017.

He shuffled between City’s first team and youth team until this season where he’s seemingly become first choice under Guardiola out of necessity.

His side has struggled defensively since Vincent Kompany’s departure and with John Stones or Nicolas Otamendi convincing him, Pep decided to give Garcia the chance to partner with Aymeric Laporte and he’s taken full advantage of it.

Barcelona defense in need of a revamp.

It is no secret that the Barcelona squad is an aging one. With everyone healthy, their “gala XI” includes only a handful of players under the age of 30. In this day and age and the way they want to play, that is not a recipe for success.

Especially on defense as the club like to play a high line and you need someone with pace during counter attacks. Garcia fits the criteria of what the club look for in a center back.

They were disappointed when he decided to leave but at that time with Pique and Umtiti as starters, Garcia saw little opportunity of cracking the first team. A few years removed and Pique is older, Umtiti is constantly injured and the only experienced center back is Clement Lenglet.

One would assume that in these early negotiations, the possibility of being a starter is being thrown about between Barcelona and Carles Puyol who happens to be Garcia’s agent.

But Pep isn’t going to give him up so easily. He doesn’t want to lose him but it appears that City’s higher-ups are interested in making a deal. While the club are working on a new deal, they also know there is a decent chance he could be tempted into returning to the club where he grew up in.

With only one year left in his contract, should he want a move, City would be forced to sell him as they don’t want to risk him moving on a free. It’s a similar situation to the Leroy Sane one.

If Barcelona could convince him to sign and reach a deal with City, it would be a real coup and a sign that the club are headed in the right direction and trying to rectify years of poor squad planning.