Espanyol head coach Manolo Gonzalez believes goalkeeper Joan Garcia will not be part of his squad for the 2025/26 season, but strongly doubts that the academy product will end up playing for FC Barcelona.
The Blaugrana have made the 24-year-old shot-stopper one of their top targets for the summer transfer window, along with Luis Diaz.
A contract offer has also been tabled for Garcia with the club prepared to activate his €25 million release clause.
However, given the rivalry between Barça and Espanyol, and the goalkeeper’s standing at his boyhood club there are doubts about whether he would make the switch over to his team’s bitter enemies.
Manolo Gonzalez believes Garcia will not join Barcelona
While Garcia himself has appeared coy whenever asked about the possibility of joining Barcelona this summer, his Espanyol manager Manolo Gonzalez believes that the move is unlikely to happen.
Joan Garcia is a man in demand. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
“I know him from the youth team and the reserve team, and he has always seemed to me to be a top goalkeeper. I think he will be a top goalkeeper at the world level. For the money he’s worth, I wouldn’t take too long to sign him if I could”, said Gonzalez.
Continuing, he added: “Maybe he’s already sold, but the club hasn’t said anything to me. Personally, I highly doubt that he will sign for Barcelona. I’m not saying I’d cut off a hand, but almost.”
Espanyol, for their part, are also believed to be confident that the goalkeeper will not make the switch across to their Catalan rivals.
Meanwhile, Gonzalez also revealed that he ‘never liked Barcelona’ stating that he snubbed a chance to join the club during his youth career days.
“I could have gone when I was a youth player but I didn’t,” he noted.
The Espanyol head coach also praised Barcelona manager Hansi Flick, saying: “He’s a great coach, with a lot of common sense.”
Source: Mundo Deportivo