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Signing of Joan García: the goalkeeper 'gets wet' about Barça's interest
Published New:1/06/2025 - 20:38h
Updated New:2/06/2025 - 08:09h
Joan García opened up about the interest of Barça and other European clubs in signing him. Will the 'Culés' be able to close their first reinforcement of the summer?
Joan García is the goalkeeper of the moment in LaLiga. The '1' of Espanyol has sounded strongly as a possible first reinforcement of FC Barcelona for the 25/26 and avoided giving details about his possible arrival to the 'Azulgrana' team in an interview for the program 'Tot gira' of 'Catalunya Ràdio'.
The Catalan goalkeeper received the Dani Jarque award for his great season with the 'Pericos', being a key player for Manolo González's team to avoid relegation. When talking about the market, García made it clear that, beyond the rumors, he has not yet closed agreements with any team.
"In football, news and things come out every two by three. From here to it being reality... it's not always like that. I am very calm and, whatever I decide, I will surely think about it a lot with my people and choosing the best for me. It will surely be like that," said the player from Sallent.
Further away from Barça? Joan García does not close the door to trying his luck abroad
In that sense, he added: "All players want to play, I have been playing for a year and a half and I want to continue doing so. I am young and that is very important. I would have no problem going abroad," he said, referring to the rumors about the interest of several clubs in Italy, England and Germany.
🔊 Joan Garcia: "The team where I play next season I will decide convinced"
— Tot gira (@totgira) June 1, 2025
The Espanyol goalkeeper receives the Dani Jarque Trophy, takes stock of the season and talks about his future and the option of Barça #RCDE https://t.co/7mQ0AZebc5
Joan's statements suggest his desire to reach a team where he has a high probability of being a starter next season. At Barça, this will not be easy, since both Marc-André ter Stegen and Wojciech Szczesny (if he finally renews) will also fight for the position.
Unless there is a surprise, Ter Stegen will be a starter from day 1 of the 25/26 season, so the arrival of the player from Sallent is a reinforcement pointing more to the medium and long term, since he is a young goalkeeper (24 years old) with a brutal margin for growth.
In addition, Espanyol also insists on preventing his transfer to the 'Azulgrana' team. The 'Blanquiazul' board demands that the 'Culés' pay immediately the entirety of his termination clause (25 million euros), a measure that could raise the total cost of the operation to about 30 'kilos' for tax concepts.
Espanyol prefers Joan García to continue his career away from LaLiga
In that sense, the 'Pericos' are clear about their objective with the player from Sallent: although it will be a sensitive loss, the ideal is to send him to another club outside of Spain, even if that implies postponing part of the income derived from his transfer.
In principle, Espanyol does not rule out negotiating a sale in two or three parts with Newcastle or another of the clubs interested in Joan García to speed up his sale and leave Barça without room for maneuver.
One of the teams interested in the Catalan goalkeeper, Bayer Leverkusen, has dropped out of the 'race' for his signing after the imminent incorporation of Mark Flekken, goalkeeper of the English Brentford.
The Dutchman would arrive in Germany in exchange for 10 million euros, 15 'kilos' less than what Espanyol asks for its goalkeeper. In addition to Newcastle, Napoli, Arsenal and Inter Milan are still attentive to the future of the '1' 'Blanquiazul'.
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