Barcelona defender Eric Garcia joins Girona on a season-long loan without an option to buy. The Spanish defender was not getting many minutes in the starting 11, so he decided to leave the club for regular minutes.
The La Liga champions released a statement that said: “FC Barcelona and Girona FC have reached an agreement for the transfer of the player Eric Garcia until June 30, 2024. There is no purchase option.”
Ronald Araujo, Jules Kounde, Andreas Christensen, and new signing Inigo Martinez were all seemingly ahead of him in the pecking order. So, the centre-back decided to leave the club on loan.
Xavi wanted Garcia to stay at the club as he did not want his side to be weak in that department, but Garcia insisted on leaving the club and completed his move to Girona.
Eric Garcia joins Girona on deadline day
The Barca manager insisted Garcia to stay because he knows Araujo and Christensen are injury-prone. Moreover, if any of the four defenders gets a long-term injury, it would be difficult for Xavi to replace them.
Garcia now joins another Barcelona youngster, Pablo Torre, who also signed for Girona on loan earlier this summer.
Who will replace Eric Garcia as 5th centre-back?
But, the club have signed Senegalese defender Mikayil Faye for €5 million for Barcelona B. Moreover, Xavi was impressed with him on the pre-season tour.
Furthermore, midway through the transfer window, the club did thought that if Garcia leaves this summer, Faye will be able to cover for him as 5th defender.
According to Toni Juanmarti, One of the conditions for Manchester City to agree to Joao Cancelo’s loan was for Barcelona to transfer Eric Garcia to Girona.
So now, the Spanish defender will hope to get more minutes under Girona coach Michel Sanchez.
