FC Barcelona Will Make New Signing On Wednesday

FC Barcelona will complete its signing of Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia on Wednesday this week according to Catalunya Radio, which cited anonymous sources.

Garcia was among 2024/2025’s main breakout stars in La Liga and helped his boyhood club beat the drop with numerous impressive performances between the sticks.

Keeping the Pericos in the top flight, but not being called up to the Spain national team for the Nations League’s semifinals and final, meant that Garcia’s release clause stayed at a reasonable $28.5 million (€25 million).

Even as it continues to recover from a financial crisis at the turn of the decade that threatened its very existence, that fee is more than affordable for Barca which reportedly has the money ready and waiting to deposit at La Liga’s offices.

After numerous outlets reported last week that Garcia has agreed terms with the Blaugrana and is prepared to cross the city to Espanyol’s bitter rival, Catalunya Radio reported on Monday that the release clause will be paid on Tuesday or on Wednesday morning “at the latest”.

An official presentation will then be scheduled, which could take a few days more and needs to coincide with the end of Garcia’s holidays.

Barca decided to pursue Garcia after letting in seven goals across its two-legged Champions League semifinal defeat to Inter Milan.

Though Wojciech Szczesny did a fine job coming out of retirement and filling in for Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, and was a protagonist in a Spanish domestic treble in Hansi Flick’s first season, Barca needs to look to the future and secure a long-term heir to the goalkeeping position.

It had to act swiftly and get Garcia while he was still relatively cheap, but his arrival will reportedly speed up Ter Stegen’s exit.

RAC1 already explained how President Joan Laporta told members of the board that Ter Stegen will have to go if Garcia arrives, and the German is, according to SPORT, “ready for war” in staying put and trying to see out his contract which expires on June 30, 2028

FC Barcelona will move on to its next target after landing Garcia

As Garcia is now seemingly secured, FC Barcelona should move to its next target. It wants to bring in a reinforcement on the left wing with Ansu Fati close to its own exit, with Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford and Liverpool’s Luis Diaz its main targets in that respect.