Manchester City hot teen Eric Garcia is all ready to hightail it back to Barcelona after reportedly agreeing personal terms over a five-year deal at the Nou Camp.
The 19-year-old, a target for Barcelona since the summer, has made no secret of his desire to complete the move and return to the club he left in 2017.
Garcia has made 30 senior appearances for Man City since joining the Premier League side from Barcelona in 2017 and is out of contract at the Etihad Stadium at the end of the season and is free to negotiate pre-contract terms with European clubs this month.
However, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has apparently read the tea leaves and says the teen has already agreed terms with Barca and could move in January itself.
An earlier deal slated for summer fell through as City demanded around £20million for the youngster but it’s claimed City have now offered Garcia to the struggling Spanish giants for a cut-price £10m, provided the deal is done in this January transfer window. Should Barca somehow decide against paying the fee, the teenager will move on a free transfer in the summer.
The Barcelona boys are down in sixth in the LaLiga table, nine points adrift of leaders Atletico Madrid, and badly in need of defensive reinforcement.
Garcia has history with the Blaugrana, having first joined Barcelona in 2008, aged just seven, and spent nearly a decade working his way through the youth ranks. He is reportedly very keen to return to Barcelona, having paid his dues going through the ranks at the Nou Camp before leaving for Man City
The centre-back joined City in 2017 and enjoyed a breakout season last term, making 20 appearances in all competitions.
But Guardiola has only given the defender three matches in the Premier League this season, totalling just 200 minutes, as he made clear his desire to return to Spain.
He even refused to sign a new contract at the Etihad in a bid to force a move back to the Nou Camp.
In August, boss Pep Guardiola revealed:
“[Garcia] told us that he doesn’t want to extend his contract with Manchester City, so he has one more year.
“We wanted it but he doesn’t want to extend. I imagine he wants to play in another place.”