Man City Prepared to Sell Eric García to Barcelona if Fresh Contract Talks Stall
By Tom Gott
Manchester City have offered young centre-back Eric García a bumper new contract to try and convince him to stay at the Etihad Stadium, but he will be sold to Barcelona if he chooses to reject their proposal.
Barcelona are on the lookout for a new centre-back this summer, with only Gerard Piqué and Clement Lenglet certain to be at the club next season. Samuel Umtiti's injury problems have seen him join Jean-Clair Todibo on the transfer list, and García has been identified as the ideal replacement.
The 19-year-old, who was on the books at Barcelona before jumping ship to Manchester in 2017, fits the bill as a young, affordable defender who would be able to make an immediate impact, but Marca note that City are ready to put up a fight to keep him.
García's current contract expires in 2021, but City have given him the chance to stay and almost quadruple his wages. He is said to be interested in staying as he feels wanted by Pep Guardiola, who regularly started the youngster towards the end of the season, but the idea of breaking through at Camp Nou is something he always dreamed of.
With such little time remaining on his contract, City have decided that García will be sold this summer if he does not commit to a new deal. He will be able to negotiate a free transfer overseas in just six months' time, and City are not prepared to lose García for nothing.
A fee of between €15m and €20m is suggested, but the two sides are yet to discuss a transfer as City are hopeful of keeping García.
If Barcelona cannot land the City man, they would try to turn to Villarreal's Pau Torres, but there are concerns over the cost of such a deal.
The 23-year-old, who 90min understands had also attracted interest from City before their signing of Nathan Ake, comes with a release clause of €50m which rises to €65m in the final two weeks of the transfer window, so Barcelona are understandably keen to get a deal for García over the line soon.
Barcelona are not blessed with a sizeable transfer kitty this summer. They have pulled out of talks to sign Paris Saint-Germain's Neymar and have admitted that landing Inter's Lautaro Martínez is unlikely.
Landing García for less than €20m would be the dream for Barcelona, but the ball is in García's court right now. If Guardiola chooses to put faith in him for City's upcoming Champions League tie with Real Madrid, it could well convince him to continue his development at the Etihad.