Ansu Fati can’t wait to be reunited with Eric Garcia at Barcelona after the La Liga giants beat Arsenal to the signing of the Manchester City defender, as reported by Mundo Deportivo.
Any lingering hopes Mikel Arteta may have had of stealing an exciting young defender from under the nose of his old mentor went up in smoke on Monday.
Speaking after Garcia was left out of the Man City squad for their 2-1 victory over West Ham United, Pep Guardiola confirmed one of football’s worst-kept secrets – the Barcelona-born 19-year-old is on his way back to Catalonia.
“Eric Garcia is like a son. He was a guy last season who, after lock-down, was our best central defender. He never made a mistake and played in the quarter-final of the Champions League,” Guardiola told Goal of the Spain international, who is out of contract in July and has refused to sign an extension.
“He’s going to play in Barcelona and that is not an average player – he is a top player.”
A few weeks ago, Mundo Deportivo reported Arteta hoped to reunite with Garcia at Arsenal.
But, like Gerard Pique, Jordi Alba and Cesc Fabregas before him, the lure of that iconic red-and-blue shirt has proved irresistible.
And Fati, who honed his talents alongside Garcia in Barca’s feted La Masia academy, is counting down the days until 1 July.
“Eric Garcia has been my best friend since I was little. We have grown up together. We have always competed with each other and he helped me to improve,” says arguably world football’s most exciting teenager.
“It was very difficult to dribble past him. Then we met in the (national team) selection, something we always dreamed of since we were little.”
Barcelona may have conceded just 22 goals in 25 La Liga matches this season but don’t let the numbers deceive you. This team is as error-prone and fragile as any in the club’s recent, trophy-laden history.
Gerard Pique is 34, Clement Lenglet looks more nervy than ever, while doubts persist about the long-term suitability of Oscar Mingueza and Ronald Araujo.
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