Manchester United’s transfer focus has become increasingly urgent following uncertainty around the goalkeeper position.
With Altay Bayındır likely to be moved on this summer and Andre Onana’s future uncertain, the Red Devils are expected to explore their options.
While Onana remains Amorim’s first-choice keeper heading into pre-season, the need for a long-term deputy remains a key consideration for United’s recruitment staff.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE CENTREDEVILS WHATSAPP GROUP CHAT NOW!
A number of promising young goalkeepers have been linked with a switch to Old Trafford, with the club particularly eyeing talents from La Liga and Ligue 1.
Among the targets considered was Joan Garcia, the highly-rated 24-year-old who impressed for Espanyol last season and had been monitored by Manchester United scouts during the second half of the campaign.
However, any potential move to Old Trafford has now been dashed, as FC Barcelona have confirmed that they activated Garcia’s €25 million release clause, signing the Spanish goalkeeper on a six-year deal until June 2031.
Joan Garcia, who was widely regarded as one of the most impressive goalkeepers in La Liga during the 2023/24 season, topped the league in total saves with 146 and ranked first in goals prevented based on advanced statistics.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE CENTREDEVILS WHATSAPP GROUP CHAT NOW!
His performances were pivotal in ensuring Espanyol’s La Liga survival, and his rapid development has not gone unnoticed by Europe’s elite clubs.
Despite interest from Manchester United and others, it is Deco and Barcelona who have moved swiftly to secure his signature.
Garcia, an Olympic gold medallist with Spain from the Paris 2024 Games, was also expected to receive a senior national team call-up, and that now looks more likely under the spotlight of Camp Nou.
Sources suggest United had been assessing Garcia as a long-term project, with hopes that he could either challenge Onana or succeed him in the coming years.
But with Barcelona beating them to the punch, Amorim’s recruitment team will be forced back to the drawing board as they continue to reshape the squad ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE CENTREDEVILS WHATSAPP GROUP CHAT NOW!