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Manchester City defender Eric Garcia has confirmed he will return to Barcelona on a free transfer after the end of the 2020-21 season.
Garcia told L’Esportiu that he was convinced he has made the right call by leaving the Premier League champions and heading back to the club where he started his career at the age of seven.
He explained, “I have thought about my future, what I think is the best now. I think it’s a brave decision. I am very convinced of the step I have taken.”
Garcia joined the Citizens in 2017 after coming through Barca’s famous La Masia academy. The defender has won the Premier League and League Cup with Pep Guardiola’s side who play against Chelsea in the Champions League final on Saturday, May 29.
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Garcia Praises Sergio Aguero
The defender also spoke about Manchester City teammate Sergio Aguero who could also be playing for Barcelona next season. The Argentina international, who will also be a free agent this summer, has reportedly agreed a two-year deal with the Catalan giants.
Garcia said of Aguero, “He is a phenomenon and a goal-scoring machine. His age? Forget it! Agüero will score goals until the age of 100, he is a legend, a myth. And a fabulous teammate.”
Aguero will leave Manchester City as the club’s all-time record goalscorer and also hit another new landmark on his final Premier League appearance for the Citizens against Everton,
The striker scored a brace to overtake Wayne Rooney as the player with the most Premier League goals for a single club. Aguero scored 184 times in the English top flight for Manchester City.
Garcia Rejects Pique Comparisons
Garcia’s arrival at Barcelona will add more options to the defense. He joins Gerard Pique, Oscar Mingueza, Ronald Araujo, Clement Lenglet, and Samuel Umtiti as the club’s current center-back options.
The 20-year-old has been tipped to take over from Pique, who celebrated his 34th birthday in February, but has rejected comparions with the Barcelona veteran. Pique also spent time in England with Manchester United but Garcia joked he’d played for the better Premier League team.
“I don’t care [about the comparisons] because I think we’re different footballers, right? Obviously, we both left the Barça youth team, went to England, and now, as he did, I am returning home,” he said. “Gerard has achieved everything, he is one of the best central defenders in the world, he is more than recognized and I am 20 years old and I am starting my career. The only possible comparison is that we both are from La Masia and we lived in Manchester, but he played for the team which is not so good. I was luckier and I was able to play for the best team in Manchester. A pity for him.”
Garcia has not been a regular at Manchester City this season, making just six Premier League appearances, but will be hoping he can force his way into the Barcelona starting XI next season.
The Barca defense certainly needs strengthening and has been vulnerable in recent seasons. Ronald Koeman’s side conceded 14 more goals in La Liga than champions Atletico Madrid in 2020-21 and will need to tighten up to challenge for titles.
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