GAR BLIMEY Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta eyes Eric Garcia in transfer raid on former club Man City
ARSENAL boss Mikel Arteta is keeping tabs on young defender Eric Garcia’s situation at his former club Manchester City.
Posted Thursday, December 10, 2020 by Express.co.uk
The Spanish international turned down a new contract at the Etihad in the summer because he wants to return to Barcelona.
Arsenal are chasing a deal for Man City contract rebel and Barcelona target Eric Garcia Credit: AP:Associated Press
However the Nou Camp giants have little spare cash to play with after being floored by the Coronavirus pandemic.
They failed to raise the £13.5 million needed to sign Garcia in the summer window and may struggle to do so again in January.
Barca know he will be a free agent in the summer and they will be able to sign him back for nothing.
But that could open the door to other clubs – with Real Madrid already linked – and Arteta is also a fan of the 19-year-old.
The pair worked closely together while the Gunners boss was an assistant to Pep Guardiola at City for three-and-a-half years.
But Arteta may also have to wait until the summer as he currently has a surplus of centre backs on the books at the Emirates.
Some of them are out of contract in the summer including David Luiz, Sokratis and Shkodran Mustafi – so there should be room on the wage bill then.
Guardiola said earlier this season he had not given up hope of persuading Garcia to sign a new deal at the Etihad.
However he has made only six appearances so far this season.
And Garcia wants to be playing regularly to ensure he earns a place in the Spain squad at the Euros next summer.
The young defender remains keen on a return to Barcelona but has been left frustrated by their failure to close a deal.
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