Premier League sides could have a chance to hijack Barcelona’s transfer for Joan Garcia after an intriguing revelation that could throw the entire deal into turmoil.
Garcia is among the most-coveted goalkeeping targets available this summer, with Barcelona desperate to sign the 24-year-old from local rivals Espanyol after his standout campaign in which he made more saves than any other keeper in La Liga.
“Will the rumours that the club wants to sell me affect me? No one has spoken to me about this, so I don’t know the situation. I’m not worried,” Ter Stegen said. “I know I will be at Barcelona next year.”
“If I remember correctly, and if nothing new has happened in the last few hours, we only have two goalkeepers for next season, Inaki [Pena] and I,” he added.
“So basically, the competition is between us. And whoever comes in, no matter what, will have to face this competition.”
What is the state of play with Joan Garcia’s future?
The presence of a €25 million release clause in Garcia’s contract has attracted the attention of teams such as Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City in recent weeks in addition to Barca’s interest.
Newcastle were believed to have posed the biggest threat to Barcelona due to their ability to offer regular first team football and Champions League action next season, but the Magpies appear to prefer a move for Burnley’s James Trafford instead.
Moving from Espanyol to the club’s bitter rivals in Barcelona would perhaps be controversial for Garcia, leading to some hesitation over his decision, particularly with no guarantee of his starting place, with Ter Stegen still having three years remaining on his contract.
While Barcelona are still thought to be favourites for Garcia, they face a tough task of resolving Ter Stegen’s future before being able to convince their top transfer target of a move, giving Premier League sides a credible chance of swooping in to steal a deal.
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