Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia has turned down “lucrative offers” from several teams (including Manchester City) in favour of joining Barcelona, according to reports in Spain.
Catalan publication Mundo Deportivo claims that Pep Guardiola’s side, Arsenal, Newcastle, Napoli, Inter Milan and Bayer Leverkusen all made a concerted effort to sign the Spaniard.
However, after much deliberation, Garcia has opted to make the controversial cross-city switch from the Estadi Cornella-El Prat to the Camp Nou.
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Barca are poised to trigger the €25m (£21m) release clause in the 24-year-old’s contract, and he is set to put pen to paper on a five-year deal with the La Liga champions.
Garcia’s decision raises questions about ter Stegen’s future
The Spanish shot-stopper is expected to start next season as Barcelona’s number one and that places doubts on whether Marc-Andre ter Stegen will stay in Spain.
City have been mentioned as a potential destination for the German international in the past and there have been fresh links in recent days.
A move to Saudi Arabia is also a possibility, with Al-Hilal believed to be considering him as an option along with Ederson.
Man City have been linked with several goalkeepers
Garcia and ter Stegen are not the only keepers who have been mentioned as potential targets for the Cityzens. Burnley’s James Trafford has been suggested, along with Paris Saint-Germain’s Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Speaking about his client’s future yesterday, Enzo Raiola said that the Italian international is currently considering his options:
“It’s an obvious question; many would like him, but only a few can afford him. He feels good in Paris, we’re at the European champion club, so we have no complaints. We are working on a renewal.”
Donnarumma has a year left on his contract with PSG, and if he doesn’t put pen to paper on a new deal soon, the Ligue One side will have to weigh up whether to sell him.
In other news, Man City have agreed a fee to sign a 26-year-old midfielder from AC Milan