Latest news with #JoanGarcia
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pedri all but confirms Barcelona's first summer signing – ‘Will join the best team in the world'
Pedri all but confirms Barcelona's first summer signing – 'Will join the best team in the world' Over the past few days, FC Barcelona have moved swiftly to secure an agreement over a five-year contract with top goalkeeping target Joan Garcia. The Blaugrana have received the green light from the 24-year-old Espanyol goalkeeper and the only step now remaining is for them to pay his €25 million release clause. Advertisement While the transfer is likely to be made official next week, a Barcelona player now seems to have already confirmed the signing. Pedri welcomes Joan Garcia Indeed, speaking to the media ahead of Spain's UEFA Nations League semi-final against France tonight, Pedri all but confirmed Joan Garcia's arrival at Barcelona, stating that the goalkeeper would be joining the best team in the world. 'Joan Garcia will join the best team in the world, and I wish him success,' said the Barça midfield sensation, as quoted by Bassel Tabbal of beIN Sports. Barcelona's first summer signing. (Photo by) While it has been known that Garcia and Barcelona have reached an agreement, Pedri's comment pretty much confirms the transfer ahead of time. Advertisement As mentioned above, the only thing left is for Barça to deposit the goalkeeper's €25 million release clause amount and make the signing official. The La Liga champions are also not expecting any problems with the registration of Garcia from July 1, despite having had to face Financial Fair Play issues in the past. Garcia is expected to sign a five-year contract with Barcelona until 2030 and will be taking up the No. 1 position in Hansi Flick's team, pushing Marc-Andre ter Stegen out of the lineup.
Forbes
19 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
‘Angry' Ter Stegen Won't Leave FC Barcelona Easily, Wants Explanation
FC Barcelona head coach Marc-Andre ter Stegen is angry about developments in the goalkeeping ... More department and wants an explanation from the club according to SPORT, which cited anonymous sources. FC Barcelona head coach Marc-Andre ter Stegen is angry about developments in the goalkeeping department and wants an explanation from the club according to SPORT, which cited anonymous sources. The German ended the 2024/2025 season as second fiddle to Wojciech Szczesny, thanks to a serious injury that kept him sidelined for most of the campaign and resulted in Barca bringing the Pole out of retirement. As Barca sealed a domestic treble under Hansi Flick in his maiden term, reports began to circulate regarding a pursuit of Espanyol's breakout star Joan Garcia. Because of the 24-year-old saving Barca's crosstown rival from the drop yet not being called up to Luis de la Fuente's latest Spain national team squad with the likes of Lamine Yamal and Pedri, Garcia's release clause stuck has stayed rooted at a reasonable $28.5 million (€25 million). Through the press, though, and outlets such as RAC1, rumors have spread that Barca President Joan Laporta will effectively put Ter Stegen up for sale as there isn't room in the squad for two elite shotstoppers. Asked about his potential exit at the weekend while on international duty for Germany, Ter Stegen was defiant. 'No one has told me about this, so I don't know the situation,' Ter Stegen said, about possibly being moved on. 'I'm not worried. I know that I will be at Barcelona next year… If I remember correctly, and if no news has happened in the last few hours, we only have two goalkeepers for next season, Inaki [Pena] and me,' the veteran then added, while ignoring Wojciech 'Tek' Szczesny, who has not yet renewed his one-year contract but is expected to. There has been plenty of news since then, however, with Barca set to land Garcia in a matter of days after reportedly agreeing terms with the player and his camp. As for Ter Stegen's entourage, anonymous sources from it told SPORT that nobody from Barca has told them anything about a sale or that the 33-year-old should leave. They showed their anger at how things are being done, and for bearing witness to what they consider to be a 'campaign' against the captain which is being played out in the local media. With Hansi Flick and Sporting Director Deco watching him from the stands as Germany lost a Nations League semifinal to Portugal where Cristiano Ronaldo scored the winner, Ter Stegen wants to focus on his country at the moment which will play a third place playoff against whoever loses between Spain and France. After said fixture, though, Ter Stegen will then seek explanations from FC Barcelona and leading figures such as Deco, as he wants the club's intentions explained to him.
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
FC Barcelona Will Pay Important Release Clause ‘Imminently'
FC Barcelona will pay an important release clause of one of its top transfer targets "imminently" ... More according to SPORT, which cited anonymous sources. FC Barcelona will pay an important release clause of one of its top transfer targets 'imminently' according to SPORT, which cited anonymous sources. Numerous outlets have already reported on how close Barca is to landing breaktout 2024/2025 La Liga star Joan Garcia from Espanyol, which could complicate Marc-Andre ter Stegen's future as Hansi Flick's first choice goalkeeper. The German suffered what was believed to be a season-ending injury back in September, but returned to the fold towards the end of a Spanish treble-winning campaign for the Blaugrana. In the meantime, another shotstopper in Wojciech Szczesny was brought out of retirement to replace Inaki Pena once his disciplinary problems surfaced, which could mean at least a three-man race for minutes between the sticks next term. Ter Stegen was defiant at the weekend, when talking about such competition while on international duty for Germany. "No one has told me about this, so I don't know the situation,' he stated, about possibly being shown the exit door. 'I'm not worried. I know that I will be at Barcelona next year,' the captain, who has a contract until mid-2028, then added. Yet it could be that Ter Stegen has little control over what happens given how fast Barca is moving towards landing Garcia, amid reports from RAC1 detailing how President Joan Laport allegedly said the former will have to be sold if the latter is brought in. On Wednesday, SPORT says that the payment of Garcia's €25 million releas clause is 'imminent' while MARCA speaks of their being a 'total agreement' between the player and what looks to be his new club in the very near future. After all, it looks like another report from SPORT claiming that the Garcia transfer will be completed by next week at the earliest could prove to be accurate. Though he isn't the most expensive player, Joan Garcia will be a statement signing from FC Barcelona. It shows that irrespective of how long Ter Stegen sticks around in Catalonia, Barca is already thinking about a long term heir to the skipper, who has been at the club since 2014.
New York Times
2 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Barcelona's pursuit of Joan Garcia and the complicated goalkeeper scenario it could unleash
Barcelona are working to seal their first piece of transfer business this summer. They want to make Espanyol's Joan Garcia their new starting goalkeeper. Garcia, who's arguably been the best in his position in La Liga last season, has a €25million ($28.4m) release clause in his contract and is expected to leave his current club before the end of the transfer window. Advertisement Barca feel Garcia is a clear one-off market opportunity at this price. Sporting director Deco and manager Hansi Flick had spoken in previous weeks about wanting to sign a new winger for their team, but Garcia is expected to make a decision about his future sooner rather than later — so Barcelona have had to make up their minds quickly. They have been in contact with the player's camp and have laid the foundations of a five-year deal. Now it is all in Garcia's hands. The 24-year-old has to choose his next club — and he is not short of options. Last summer, Arsenal came very close to signing Garcia but were not able to reach an agreement with Espanyol. As much as Mikel Arteta's team still rate him highly, last season has changed Garcia's priorities: he wants to be the No 1 option wherever he moves to. At Arsenal, with Premier League Golden Glove winner David Raya established between the posts, it is highly unlikely Garcia would immediately get a starting role, so the prospect of moving to north London has cooled. Other Premier League clubs have shown interest. Newcastle have been monitoring Garcia this season, although it's understood he's not their priority target. Bournemouth are known to rate him highly too, while Manchester City have been following Garcia but are not expected to start formal talks anytime soon. 'I am very calm,' said Joan Garcia last week, when asked about his future by local radio Catalunya Radio. 'There is a lot of news coming out about me, but we've just finished the season and I want to rest a bit. From there, I will discuss my options with my people and decide what's best for me.' Once the decision is made, there is no need to even table an offer: the buying club would simply need to go to La Liga's headquarters in Madrid and pay the €25m release clause. A succession plan in goal is clearly required at Barcelona, with Marc-Andre ter Stegen (33) and Wojciech Szczesny (35) in the autumns of their respective careers — and Inaki Pena set to leave in summer. There are some promising goalkeepers in La Masia, with American international Diego Kochen being a stand-out candidate. The 19-year-old has played with Barca Atletic this season, and is expected to be more involved with the first team in 2025-26. Advertisement But adding a first-choice goalkeeper is a task that Deco knew he was going to have to resolve at some point in the next few years. With Joan Garcia, Barca are trying to do exactly that. Club sources, who, like all mentioned in this article, wanted to remain anonymous to protect relationships, believe that any elite side who go after a new goalkeeper, in current market conditions, could be forced to spend at least €60m. Garcia is seen as a top-quality prospect, and he is available for €25m — a bargain to Barca's eyes. Despite winning the league title, Flick insisted over the last few weeks of the season that his Barca squad needed some improvements. And if you analyse the previous campaign, goalkeeper is certainly an area that can be upgraded. As much as Szczesny was a decent cover, he is not seen as a title-winning goalkeeper inside the club. The Champions League semi-final against Inter, where Yann Sommer all but got them to the final, acted as a moment of realisation around the club. 'We did not lose because of Tek (Szczesny), but Inter did win thanks to Sommer,' a dressing-room source said after the Inter game. Besides Szczesny, there is Ter Stegen. He is the club captain, an important dressing-room figure and a player who has now recovered from the severe knee injury he suffered last October. But doubts about Ter Stegen have loomed for multiple seasons. He was outstanding in the 2022-2023 season, when Xavi's Barca won La Liga, but has failed to hit consistent heights throughout his 11-year Barcelona career so far. Ter Stegen has been involved in all Barcelona's traumatic Champions League nights, from Rome to the 8-2 against Bayern to the 4-0 defeat at Anfield in 2019. The last couple of seasons have not been memorable for the 33-year-old, and the intention to change the guard at Barcelona is now very real. Garcia's profile is seen at Barca as a guaranteed upgrade to all that. He has been an excellent shot-stopper, while having the potential to be a perfect fit in Flick's high-line system. But if Joan Garcia joins Barcelona, it will leave the Catalans with a complex situation to manage in their goalkeeping ranks. Ter Stegen would inevitably see his role at the club questioned more than ever. His current contract runs to 2028, beyond his 36th birthday. And on international duty with Germany this week, the goalkeeper confirmed he has no intention of leaving Barcelona. Advertisement 'Nobody at the club spoke with me about this situation so I'm not worried,' Ter Stegen said on Sunday at a press conference. 'I know I will be at Barcelona next season.' Barca have also offered Szczesny a new contract to stay as a back-up goalkeeper. The club's ideal scenario would be to get Garcia in and offload Ter Stegen but, listening to his recent comments, that seems unlikely. All this context would add an extra layer of pressure to Joan Garcia to deliver the expected performances, as if his signing wasn't already tinged with controversy. Garcia's name has been in everyone's mouths around Barcelona over the past couple of weeks. He would be the first player in 31 years to move from Espanyol to their local rivals — and just the 14th ever registered. Relationships between both clubs and fanbases have always been tense from a local rivalry perspective, although the sense of bitterness is understandably bigger from the Espanyol point of view. The Pericos are the smaller club in the city, and have often felt ignored and overshadowed by the global brand down the road. Garcia has been the face of Espanyol on and off the pitch throughout the season, claiming to be a proud fan, kissing the badge when the team secured their La Liga safety. He comes from a family of Barcelona fans, but he joined the Espanyol youth ranks at 15 and made his way through professional football at the club. Senior figures at Espanyol have spoken publicly on the subject, and admitted they would be surprised if the 24-year-old opts to join Barca. 'I seriously doubt Joan (Garcia) will sign for Barcelona,' said Espanyol manager Manolo Gonzalez in an interview with Radio Galega last week. 'I am not saying I dare to put my hand into fire for that, but pretty close to that.' As much as Espanyol fans have assumed selling Garcia for €25m is needed for the club's finances, seeing him switching to their biggest footballing enemies would not just be a tough pill to swallow — but a case to go down in their history books. Another significant weight to carry for Garcia. Finally, there is Barcelona's financial situation. According to La Liga sources, the Catalans are currently spending money above their salary limit and as of now are not allowed to register new signings. The club are waiting to make significant progress in their works to rebuild the Camp Nou to have a positive impact on their balance. Last January, Barca sold a share of future VIP seating in the stadium to get to what La Liga calls the 1:1 rule — meaning they can register players without restrictions. Advertisement But with the stadium yet to be completed and the VIP seats not built, Barca's audit company Crowe did not allow them to count the money from the sale in this season's accounts. Barca need to have the ground and the seats built so that they can include the income from the VIP seats in their budget and start operating as normal in the transfer market. This will be another long summer in Barcelona — the Joan Garcia saga may well be the first piece of it.
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
FC Barcelona Has A Potential Buyer For Ter Stegen
FC Barcelona has a potential buyer for goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen according to SPORT, which ... More cited anonymous sources. FC Barcelona has a potential buyer for goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen according to SPORT, which cited anonymous sources. The Catalans are being heavily linked to Espanyol's Joan Garcia, who the same newspaper expects them to sign by the start of next week. One of the 2024/2025 La Liga season's biggest breakout stars should cost $28.5 million (€25 million) because of his release clause determined by helping Espanyol beat relegation and also not being included on Spain national team manager Luis de la Fuente's latest squad list. RAC1 reported that President Joan Laporta told the board Ter Stegen will need to be moved on if Garcia switches allegiances across town, but the German dismissed such talk at a press conference on Sunday. 'No one has told me about this, so I don't know the situation,' Ter Stegen stated. 'I'm not worried. I know that I will be at Barcelona next year.' 'If I remember correctly, and if no news has happened in the last few hours, we only have two goalkeepers for next season, Inaki [Pena] and me,' Ter Stegen added, in turn ignoring Wojciech 'Tek' Szczesny, who is expected to renew his contract. In the meantime, however, potential buyers are starting to line up for skipper Ter Stegen, which Al-Hilal chief among them. The Saudis are looking for a top level shotstopper, and are 'willing to cover Ter Stegen with gold" to replace Bono according to SPORT. Also interesting for Barca is that Al-Hilal would pay a transfer fee for Ter Stegen, whose current terms in Catalonia expire on June 30, 2028. Yet Ter Stegen might be reluctant to leave European football because such a move could end his hopes of being Germany's number one shotstopper at the next World Cup set to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico. With Ter Stegen, Szczesny and now possibly Garcia all set to be on its books, FC Barcelona head coach has at least three goalkeepers to split minutes between. That goes without mentioning Inaki Pena, who will probably have to leave in search of regular football, and the budding Diego Kochen.
