According to SPORT, Barcelona are not going to put Eric Garcia up for sale in the summer transfer window even though the club are planning to bring in a new centre-back.
The 22-year-old joined Barcelona from Manchester City in the summer of 2021. While he was a regular in the starting XI for a good chunk last season, things have changed drastically for the Spaniard this term.
Garcia has found game-time hard to come by under Xavi Hernandez, having played only nine times in La Liga as a starter. He has not featured at all in each of Barcelona’s last three La Liga matches, with Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen and Jules Kounde performing exceptionally.
Amidst this Barça are being linked with a new defensive acquisition for the summer. The Blaugrana are said to be keen on signing a left-footed central defender and have Athletic Club’s Inigo Martinez on the agenda.
Recent reports even suggested that Evan Ndicka of Eintracht Frankfurt had already reached a verbal agreement with Barcelona over a Bosman transfer.
But the report from SPORT claims that all signs point towards Martinez’s arrival in the summer. And even though the Catalan giants will rope in a left-footed centre-half, that will not have any bearing on the future of Garcia.
The La Liga leaders will not consider selling the former Manchester City ace unless the player himself asks to leave.
It is claimed that the coaching staff is very happy with Garcia’s professionalism despite his tough situation and believe that he has further capacity for growth.
At the same time, the Spanish international is fulfilling his role currently and his wages are well within the club’s new salary scale. So, unless there is a request from Garcia himself, Barcelona will not put him up for sale even if a new defender arrives in the summer.
