Barcelona agree personal terms with Manchester City’s Eric Garcia

Barcelona close to bringing back former academy starlet.

Barcelona may be close to signing a reinforcement for a much-maligned, and injured, defense.

According to The Guardian, the Catalan side and Manchester City defender Eric Garcia have agreed to personal terms on a five-year contract.

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The only question that remains is whether the former La Masia center-back will arrive at the club during the winter transfer window or wait until the summer.

Garcia only has six months left on his current deal and has rejected Manchester City’s proposals to sign a new deal. Were it not for Barcelona’s financial situation, he may have been at Camp Nou before the start of the new season.

The club made him a priority but were unable to come to an agreement with City. The amount the English side wanted was out of their price range.

According to Sport, City rejected a €10 million offer from Barca in the summer.

With the arrivals of Nathan Aké and Rúben Dias, Garcia has seen his playing time diminish. He’s reportedly had offers from other Premier League sides but appears set on returning to his former club.

Once the presidential elections are over, the new president will have to make the decision on Garcia’s arrival. If they manage to ship off a few players, it makes it more likely that he would arrive before the end of the transfer window.

If he does come this season, he will provide some relief to a backline that has seen them lose Gerard Pique to a long-term injury and are only getting Sergi Roberto and Samuel Umtiti back.

His signing would be both for the present and long-term. Still days way before his 20th birthday, he could very well be an anchor in that defense for years to come.