Arsenal attempting to hijack Barcelona’s Eric Garcia deal

Cameron Smith

• Updated: 19 May 2021 15:43 BST
• 2 min read

Eric Garcia to Barcelona has seemed like a done deal for months, but reports have suggested that Arsenal want to scupper that move and sign the defender in January.

The Spaniard’s contract at Manchester City expires in the summer, and he’s therefore able to join Barcelona for free in July, but both the club and the player want the deal done in this window.

Barcelona’s dire financial situation complicates matters as they are willing to pay Man City £2.7m for Garcia to sign him now, but not pay that fee until next season. It’s even been reported that Garcia is willing to play for Barcelona without a salary until the end of this season to get the deal done; that’s how desperate he is to join.

However, Arsenal believe they can muscle their way in, and persuade Garcia to join them instead. Barcelona appear unable to afford to pay for him in January, but Arsenal can, and they’re confident that Man City would accept an offer seeing as they’ll lose Garcia for free in the summer, and he’s not in Pep Guardiola’s plans with John Stones and Ruben Dias playing so well.

Garcia has made just two Premier League starts this season, and it’s clear that he wants to play, rather than being stuck on the Man City bench.

A dream move back to his boyhood club is exactly what Garcia wants, but if Arsenal can muster up a suitable offer for him, and City accept, he’ll have a serious decision to make.

But do Arsenal need him?

Comparing him to their other options, Garcia would add quality on the ball, but in terms of pure defending, their current options are arguably better.

Whether Arsenal could even persuade Garcia is another question entirely, but having worked with Mikel Arteta before, at Man City, a move to the Emirates could be on the cards.