Joan Garcia was not initially in Barcelona’s plans to sign the 24-year-old, but the market opportunity meant the Blaugrana could not turn down a move for the 24-year-old.
Barcelona sporting director Anderson Deco has admitted the club have no plans to sign Espanyol’s Joan Garcia this summer but the Blaugrana are keen to sign the 24-year-old.
Joan Garcia could have left for a €25m โปรโมชั่นพิเศษจาก UFABET สมัครตอนนี้ รับโบนัสทันที release clause. With Barcelona paying the fee to bring the 24-year-old goalkeeper on a deal until 2031, although that was not initially the club’s plan.
‘The goalkeeper is not important, but we see an opportunity in the market, for now and for the future. There are not many young players of his level. We didn’t speak to Joan before the league ended. Then we spoke to his agent and he said that if the player opens up the option to join Barcelona. We would like to speak to him and we explained the idea,’ Deco explained.
Barcelona currently have two experienced goalkeepers in Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Wojciech Szczesny. With the latter set to sign a one-year extension with the option of a further year. But Deco has revealed the decision to bring in Joan Garcia was made with a clear purpose.
‘Let me give you a simple example, Liverpool have a goalkeeper called Alisson, who is 32. And they have signed one of the best goalkeepers in La Liga, (Georgi) Mamardashvili, who is 24. If you have players who are 32, 33, you have to try to plan and predict.’
Ter Stegen was previously reported to be unhappy with the club’s handling of the situation, particularly with the signing of Joan Garcia, with reports suggesting the club are pushing for a move for the German, but Deco has no plans to hold talks with the 33-year-old.
‘I don’t need to talk to Ter Stegen. My job is to build the best team for the coach. It’s not my business. Also, there’s no contract that says you’ll play. From here, the coach will decide.’
‘We decided to sign a young goalkeeper, which means he can play tomorrow or sit on the bench or play in the next one or two years. We have expectations for Joan that we have to fulfil. Everyone who comes here starts from scratch, nobody has an advantage over anybody else. I have a lot of respect for Marc, but with Joan we have to make decisions for the present and the future. The coach has to make decisions. ‘