Pep Guardiola appears to confirm Eric Garcia's transfer to Barcelona

Pep Guardiola has all but confirmed Manchester City defender Eric Garcia is set for a summer move to Barcelona.

The Spaniard has featured fleetingly for City this season after making 20 appearances in all competitions last term, playing just four Premier League games this campaign.

He was completely absent from the City squad that won Sunday's Carabao Cup final against Tottenham as Aymeric Laporte headed home eight minutes from time to secure a 1-0 victory and their fourth consecutive success in the competition.

The 20-year-old's contract at the Etihad is due to expire this summer and he's been linked with a return to Catalonia for months now.

Speaking post-match, Guardiola seemed to confirm the Spain international's imminent move to Camp Nou. He said, as quoted by Sky Sports: "I would love to have 15 Eric Garcias for the way he conducts his behaviour. He is always thinking of the team. He's always a good face in the good or bad moments. He helps the manager and the backroom staff all the time.

"He will go in an incredible team and when the people say they are unsatisfied if I don't play, I think of Eric.

"Most of the time he's not on the bench because he's going to move to Barcelona, I hope so. It's tough, but it is what it is."

Garcia's agreement with Barça is likely the reason for his descent down the pecking order, though Ruben Dias has had a fine first season in Manchester, John Stones is re-emerging as one of the country's finest centre backs, and Laporte's qualities have been well documented for a few years.

While City's hopes of a quadruple were dashed in the FA Cup, they are still expected to wrap up the Premier League title imminently and face Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the Champions League semi finals on Wednesday night.