Barcelona want Man City starlet Eric Garcia and will launch £14m opening transfer bid
BARCELONA will test the water with a £14million bid for Manchester City starlet Eric Garcia.
Pep Guardiola revealed on Thursday the defender, 19, is refusing to pen a new Etihad contract.
As Garcia has just a year left on his current one, City have a big call over whether to cash in on him now.
Etihad chiefs will want at least £20m up front, with a further £10m in add-ons, to consider selling him.
Otherwise they are happy to let him see out the final 12 months before going for nothing.
But it is Barca’s interest which is believed to have unsettled Garcia, who had been expected to commit his long-term future to City.
HEADACHE OVER STONES
The Catalan giants are hoping to land their academy product on the cheap in the current window.
Yet their opening offer is likely to be well short of his valuation by City.
Garcia’s refusal to pen fresh terms has also given City a headache over what to do about John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi, who were both set to leave this summer.
But Guardiola’s issues at the back were at least eased a little by Bournemouth’s Nathan Ake completing his £41m move.
Harry Maguire was a target last summer but City baulked at Leicester’s £85m asking price — so neighbours United pounced.
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Since then, though, Aymeric Laporte has suffered a serious knee injury.
Fernandinho, 35, was successfully converted to centre-back.
But Guardiola does not want another season of shuffling around for options, particularly as Liverpool dethroned City to win the title by a huge 18 points.