According to SPORT, it appears highly likely that Eric Garcia will depart Barcelona this summer and join Real Betis.
The report emphasizes the strong working relationship between Betis and Barcelona, which has been further strengthened by the recent appointment of Ramon Planes as director at Estadio Benito Villamarin.
Currently, both clubs are said to be in discussions regarding a loan deal for Nico Gonzalez. There is a significant chance that Garcia might also join Betis, as he is aware that securing regular playing time in the 2023-24 season at Barcelona will be challenging due to increased competition and the arrival of Inigo Martinez.
Garcia joined Barcelona in the summer of 2021 and initially featured prominently under Ronald Koeman. However, his position in the team waned following Xavi’s arrival. While his performances as a makeshift defensive midfielder were impressive, Garcia is unwilling to waste any more time being a peripheral player.
In Betis’ case, the opportunity to sign Garcia was brought forth by Ramon Planes, who was involved in Garcia’s move to Barcelona during his tenure with the Catalan club. The sporting director now seeks to reinforce Manuel Pellegrini’s squad, and as such, the teams are discussing a potential loan move with an option to purchase.
If Garcia departs, Barcelona may have an opportunity to secure a right-back signing. With Samuel Umtiti already released and Clement Lenglet on the verge of a permanent transfer to Tottenham, Garcia’s exit would create space for a defensive reinforcement on the right side. The internal discussions currently revolve around the idea of having four central defenders – Ronald Araujo, Jules Kounde, Andreas Christensen, and Martinez – along with two left-backs – Marcos Alonso and Alejandro Balde – and a specialist right-back.
To fulfill this plan, Barcelona is already exploring options to sign either Ivan Fresneda or Joao Cancelo.
