Former Manchester City man Eric Garcia has now officially signed for Ronald Koeman’s Barcelona on a free transfer. Barcelona have also landed Sergio Aguero on a free transfer from City and are also close to landing Lyon’s Memphis Depay for free as well.
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Eric Garcia is young and full of potential. Having been a former La Masia youngster then training under Pep Guardiola at the City Football Academy, he’s a massive addition to this Barcelona squad and he is here to make an impact. He’s extremely versatile as a footballer and it looks like the signing is going to pay off well for the Catalans.
Barcelona are on a major operation to overhaul their defensive lineup. They have already brought on Emerson from Real Betis to give Sergino Dest competition on the right flank. Meanwhile, the Catalans are also actively looking to sign another left-back as Jordi Alba’s replacement.
In terms of Center-back, youngsters Ronald Araujo and Oscar Mingueza have shown tremendous potential while veterans like Gerard Pique, Clement Lenglet, and Samuel Umtiti have had a rough inconsistent 2020-21 season.
While Garcia will bring in youth and depth to the centre-back lineup, Barca are actively looking to sign a more experienced defender like Matthijs de Ligt or Aymeric Laporte.
While the Spanish side will undoubtedly have a busy transfer window, let us look at the 4 things that Eric Garcia will bring to the table at the Nou Camp next season,
4. Versatility
Eric Garcia is a diverse footballer capable of playing different roles in one particular squad. While his natural position is centre-back, he is flexible enough to also play as a right-back and even as a holding midfielder.
While Barca have both Sergino Dest, Emerson Royal and Oscar Mingueza as options on the right flank, Garcia’s ability to play as a central defensive midfielder can allow some creative alternatives to an ageing Sergio Busquets. The Spaniard’s ability to read the game and shut down counter-attacks allows Koeman to try him out as a CDM from time to time.
It is true that what Busquets does in that position is not easy to replicate but at 20 years of age, Koeman could potentially help Garcia gradually understand the role better under the guidance of Busquets.
3. Passing
After having years of La Masia training as well as experience under Pep Guardiola, the Spaniard has become excellent at passing the ball around. Garcia has an innate talent to make exquisite passes that often lead to great build-up goals for his squad. This could not only help him as a center-back but also as a CDM, especially with the presence of players like Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero up front who can make a lot happen with a great pass. He’s got the ability to pick clear and solid passes and is known to hardly make any errors while doing so.
2. Ball progressor
Eric Garcia carries the ball extremely well. He’s a top-notch footballer with many possibilities when the ball is at his feet. Hence, his versatility in different positions requires him to be a brilliant ball carrier. These positions require the player to move the ball forward and progress the ball well into more meaningful positions that lead to chance creation. This was a trait both Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta were known for and thus the Catalans have landed a gem in Eric Garcia.
1. Defensive Skills
Barcelona have had many problems in their defensive line. From injuries to off-form performances from central defenders, they’ve had it all. Many fans blame the poor season as a result of the incapabilities of the defensive lineup and thus Eric Garcia has the opportunity to make a massive impact and seal his position into the club’s defence.
If Garcia does manage to showcase his potential under Koeman, it could prove to be a perfect path to becoming a regular with the Spanish national team currently managed by former Barca head coach, Luis Enrique, which can further aid his development.
Are you excited to watch Garcia at the Nou Camp?