7 months ago
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Sam Marsden
Moises Llorens
Jun 3, 2025, 08:05 AM ET
Barcelona person signed goalkeeper Joan García from rivals Espanyol successful a €25 cardinal ($28.5m) deal, the Spanish champions announced.
García, 24, has signed a declaration until 2031 with Barça and arrives to further fortify a presumption which includes Marc-André ter Stegen, Wojciech Szczęsny and Iñaki Peña.
Espanyol would person preferred not to suffer García to their cross-city rivals but could bash small to forestall the woody arsenic the €25m interest represents the merchandise clause written into the goalkeeper's contract.
There had besides been involvement from England, with Premier League clubs Manchester City, Arsenal, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Bournemouth each linked astatine assorted points.
However, City manager Pep Guardiola's admission that they were blessed with the 2 goalkeepers they have, Éderson and Stefan Ortega, appeared to pave the mode for Barça to implicit the signing of García.
It remains to beryllium seen however García's accomplishment volition shingle up the goalkeeper presumption astatine Barça.
Ter Stegen, 33, has been the club's No. 1 for the past decennary but missed overmuch of the past play owed to wounded and returned to marque 2 appearances astatine the extremity of the campaign.
The Germany planetary has insisted helium volition stay with Barça beyond the summertime contempt the signing of García.
Meanwhile, Szczęsny, who came retired of status to motion for Barça past October erstwhile Ter Stegen injured his knee, continues to measurement up an connection to widen his contract, which expires astatine the extremity of June.
As for Peña, the younker squad graduate, present 26, is expected to permission this summertime successful hunt of regular archetypal squad football.
García, calved successful Catalonia, joined Espanyol successful 2016 and progressed done the club's academy, yet making his archetypal squad debut successful 2021.
He helped Espanyol triumph promotion to LaLiga successful 2024 and featured successful each 38 league games this play arsenic his broadside secured endurance connected the last day, earning rave reviews for immoderate of his performances on the way, including a 1-0 triumph implicit Real Madrid successful February.
"I privation to congratulate Joan García for the play helium has had," Szczęsny said past period aft Barça clinched the LaLiga title with a 2-0 triumph implicit Espanyol astatine RCDE Stadium.
"He is 1 of the champion goalkeepers close now, not conscionable successful Spain but crossed Europe."
García, who becomes the archetypal Espanyol subordinate to determination straight to Barça since Igor Korneev successful 1994, constricted the comments connected his farewell station connected Instagram.
"It is clip to accidental goodbye to the nine that has been my location since I was 15 years old," helium said.
"I person ever fixed everything I had to assistance the squad and represenedt the badge with the utmost respect and commitment.
"I cognize it won't beryllium casual for galore to recognize this decision, nor bash I expect radical to, but I privation you to cognize it was a determination I enactment a batch of thought to, not conscionable reasoning astir my career, but besides astir the champion for the club, my household and me.
"I permission with a bosom afloat of gratitude. Now a caller situation begins, which I spell into with a immense magnitude of excitement, but besides with respect for everything I permission behind."
