Barcelona ready to listen to offers for 22-year-old defender, player ready to leave

Eric Garcia is going through a rather tough spell at Barcelona post-World Cup. He had played nine games in La Liga before the tournament started and was Xavi’s preference over Andres Christensen at centre-back.

However, in the four games — 420 minutes — the Catalans have played after the competition ended, Garcia’s time have been limited to just 60 minutes. That too against Intercity in the Copa del Rey as a substitute.

As such, it seems Barcelona are ready to listen to offers for him during the winter transfer window, according to a report from SPORT. The player understands his situation and is ready to leave the club.

Barcelona are also trying to raise money through player sales and know that they might have to sacrifice some important assets of the team to meet FFP demands. Memphis Depay is another option that could leave the club this season, but will likely not generate as much income as Garcia.

The Spaniard has a contract with Barcelona until 2026 and was reportedly on the radar of Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta said to be a fan of the defender.

Several other reports also added that Garcia does not, in fact, want to leave the club anytime soon.

Right now, the Spaniard is effectively operating as the fifth-choice centre-back, with Xavi preferring to use Marcos Alonso over him in that position. Meanwhile, Ronald Araujo, Jules Kounde, and even Andreas Christensen remain the first-choices.

Not to forget, Barcelona are hot on the heels for Athletic Club’s Inigo Martinez as well, who is touted to be Gerard Pique’s replacement at the club due to his experience and leadership. Should the club get their target in the summer, Garcia’s role could virtually become null.