Manchester City to demand £30m deal for Eric García as Barcelona eye moveDefender shocks Guardiola by turning down new contract
Manager believes City ready to win Champions League
Manchester City will not sell Eric García for less than £20m plus £10m in add-ons, with Barcelona wanting to re-sign the 19-year-old, who has signalled his desire to leave after refusing a new deal.
The centre-back is out of contract next summer yet City are intent they will not allow his sale other than for a package similar to the £24.5m fee before add-ons that took Ferran Torres from Valencia to the club this week. This is because the 20-year-old forward is similar in age and profile to García.
García’s decision is understood to have taken Guardiola by surprise, the manager learning of it in the past 48 hours. Garcia was in strong contention to start City’s Champions League last-16 second leg at home to Real Madrid on Friday but it now seems unlikely he will do. Guardiola became reluctant to choose Leroy Sané when the German refused a new contract.
Fernandinho could fill in again at centre-back, the midfielder having operated there for most of the season. Guardiola remains hopeful that García, whom he rates highly, could change his mind and stay, though he recognises the pull of Barcelona is strong.
“He [García] told us that he doesn’t want to extend his contract with Manchester City, so he has one more year,” Guardiola said. “We wanted it but he doesn’t want to extend. I imagine he wants to play in another place.”
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/aug/06/manchester-city-to-demand-30m-deal-for-eric-garcia-barcelona-turns-down-contract
