Eric Garcia to Barcelona

[Gabriel]

I don't disagree. I can only assume all of this is public negotiating but strange at the same time since all those involved know eachother quite well. How it can play out is clear and Pep & Txiki know full well no board would be open to overpaying much less market value for a player of their own who left despite being prioritized (Going out the backdoor, as it were). Eric knows this and certainly Pep & Txiki do too

I was thinking again about how Pep described the announcement of Garcia and I couldn't decide if it was anger or disappointment from him but I also cannot imagine this going beyond summer. There are negative consequences for City to hold onto a player in Eric's situation since I do not see it equal to Leroy, for example

Txiki is sharp, certainly sharper than our sporting reps so I think it gets done quickly, and hopefully without too much bad blood - would not be good for anyone

Other than having to look at his moping face for the year , I’m not entirely sure what other negative consequences we would encounter. The management are good people and won’t hold him since he doesn’t want to be here, but they’re not idiots either. You have money and both want and apparently need him, so your club needs to cough up or wait.

 

[FCBarca]

Thing is. The reason Garcia is more valuable to us than his ability suggests. Is that he is club trained and doesn't take a foreign spot. Which means that we wouldn't be able to replace him with another foreign CB.

So Pep might decide that he is worth more as cover for Koulibaly (or whoever we sign). Even for a year. Than say 10m in cash. Which is nothing to us.

Agreed. But again, it's the cantera aspect - it's not a minor aspect of this transfer. Moreover, there is a real risk of widening a chasm between Pep & Barca if negotiations are drawn out or acrimonious. Won't matter the least to City fans but not the case for cules and I wager Pep as well

 

[Dax777]

I don't disagree. I can only assume all of this is public negotiating but strange at the same time since all those involved know eachother quite well. How it can play out is clear and Pep & Txiki know full well no board would be open to overpaying much less market value for a player of their own who left despite being prioritized (Going out the backdoor, as it were). Eric knows this and certainly Pep & Txiki do too

I was thinking again about how Pep described the announcement of Garcia and I couldn't decide if it was anger or disappointment from him but I also cannot imagine this going beyond summer. There are negative consequences for City to hold onto a player in Eric's situation since I do not see it equal to Leroy, for example

Txiki is sharp, certainly sharper than our sporting reps so I think it gets done quickly, and hopefully without too much bad blood - would not be good for anyone

Oh, it was anger. Believe that!

 

[FCBarca]

Other than having to look at his moping face for the year , I’m not entirely sure what other negative consequences we would encounter. The management are good people and won’t hold him since he doesn’t want to be here, but they’re not idiots either. You have money and both want and apparently need him, so your club needs to cough up or wait.

Sitting him out for a year would have negative consequences to Pep & Txiki - not just with Barca with whom there will always be a connection but each & every other youth player that considers a move to Etihad. Eric, is not Leroy either - he is not a disciplinary concern, it will appear punitive and that will have a cascading effect even to teammates

As I say, I cannot see a scenario where Pep & Txiki align to seriously consider the 'nuclear' option. I think it's part of the negotiating stance but I believe leverage is all with Barca this time

 

[Wretched Vengeance]

PSV were the favorites to sign Eric Garcia this summer.

But after hearing the price we were quoting, they decided to target Phil Jones instead.

Garcia then chose Barca as an alternative. Big opportunity missed for the youngster.

Reminds me of this loon...

 

[FCBarca]

You have not got a pot to piss in, you're skint.

It shows how you have fallen when your priority signing of the summer is a virtually untried kid.

You are in a desperate position financially, and in terms of infrastructure and football.

I feel your pain lol.

It's a lovely narrative but largely fiction but keep telling yourself that Barca will be relegated and be in line for food stamps shortly, esp. when Leo retires

I have no pain in this. I am thrilled for the pending return of one of our own. My only concern is for Pep's reputation to stay intact, it has been smeared too much by local fools long enough - a drawn out transfer for a player like Garcia would really push him even further from the club. Not the kind of line in the sand I would hope Guardiola would really want to cross

 

[SWP's back]

Barça will not pay for Eric Garcia the same as what City has invested in Ferran Torres (23 + 12), a player who was a 1st team player at Valencia (85 appearances vs 22)

If a reasonable agreement is not found, around 10 million, the club will wait for him to be freely signed in January

Except he can’t actually leave in January can he. So he can rot on his arse for a season.

 

[SWP's back]

I have no pain in this. I am thrilled for the pending return of one of our own

Where are you from?

 

[Xhavenjoe]

Where are you from?

Torquay. That is you Manuel

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

Where are you from?

Fantasy Island ?

 

[daztrueblue91]

It's a lovely narrative but largely fiction but keep telling yourself that Barca will be relegated and be in line for food stamps shortly, esp. when Leo retires

I have no pain in this. I am thrilled for the pending return of one of our own. My only concern is for Pep's reputation to stay intact, it has been smeared too much by local fools long enough - a drawn out transfer for a player like Garcia would really push him even further from the club. Not the kind of line in the sand I would hope Guardiola would really want to cross

That’s a very good point and now you mention it, Pep’s reputation to the Barca fans is of paramount importance to City.

The only way to resolve this is to allow Garcia to leave on a free transfer and offer De Bruyne to Barca on a two year loan whilst we pay all his wages.

 

[Keeper!]

It's a lovely narrative but largely fiction but keep telling yourself that Barca will be relegated and be in line for food stamps shortly, esp. when Leo retires

I have no pain in this. I am thrilled for the pending return of one of our own. My only concern is for Pep's reputation to stay intact, it has been smeared too much by local fools long enough - a drawn out transfer for a player like Garcia would really push him even further from the club. Not the kind of line in the sand I would hope Guardiola would really want to cross

It's not fiction , its fact.

Your stadium is appalling, you are struggling to find the finance to refurbish and genuinely can't afford to do the work, especially with the covid situation.

Your player recruitment over the last few years is embarrassing, the Griezmann signing was simply a joke.

Your "pursuit" in trying to resign Neymar, again, appalling and embarrassing for a club of your stature.

Your choice of coaches / managers appalling.

The player power in that dressing room, appalling.

You have gone from everyone's 2nd favorite club, to one of the most despised clubs in world football.

 

[Sir peace frog]

It's a lovely narrative but largely fiction but keep telling yourself that Barca will be relegated and be in line for food stamps shortly, esp. when Leo retires

I have no pain in this. I am thrilled for the pending return of one of our own. My only concern is for Pep's reputation to stay intact, it has been smeared too much by local fools long enough - a drawn out transfer for a player like Garcia would really push him even further from the club. Not the kind of line in the sand I would hope Guardiola would really want to cross

one of your own,is he swiss ?

 

[Gabriel]

Sitting him out for a year would have negative consequences to Pep & Txiki - not just with Barca with whom there will always be a connection but each & every other youth player that considers a move to Etihad. Eric, is not Leroy either - he is not a disciplinary concern, it will appear punitive and that will have a cascading effect even to teammates

As I say, I cannot see a scenario where Pep & Txiki align to seriously consider the 'nuclear' option. I think it's part of the negotiating stance but I believe leverage is all with Barca this time

We’re not a charity either and both people are part of the CFG, so their loyalty is to their current employer not some emotional nostalgia. The player has made his decision so every other player knows he’s already on his way out and it’s a competitive business. By not playing him we’d not be punishing him simply prioritising those who are loyal. We wouldn’t want youngsters thinking that we’re merely a three-year education facility for other clubs and, as you say, you’re in no pecuniary plight, so stump up. You already have the player, hence it’s just a question of when you want to use him.

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

Hopefully when Garcia goes back to Barca , @ FCbarca will fuck off with him to the cantera as a fully paid up plastic cule.

 

[Keeper!]

Agreed. But again, it's the cantera aspect - it's not a minor aspect of this transfer. Moreover, there is a real risk of widening a chasm between Pep & Barca if negotiations are drawn out or acrimonious. Won't matter the least to City fans but not the case for cules and I wager Pep as well

Pep is a paid employee of Manchester City, he does as his is told, our interests are Manchester City Football Club, not Barca.

 

[Easy]

According to one tweet supposedly after 31m for him. Knowing Barca more like 5m with a couple of million add ons. If for some reason they were to cough up 31m that would indeed soften the blow.

Knowing Barca we should ask for 60m. They’ve been overpaying for years.

 

[BamberBridgeBlue]

It's a lovely narrative but largely fiction but keep telling yourself that Barca will be relegated and be in line for food stamps shortly, esp. when Leo retires

I have no pain in this. I am thrilled for the pending return of one of our own. My only concern is for Pep's reputation to stay intact, it has been smeared too much by local fools long enough - a drawn out transfer for a player like Garcia would really push him even further from the club. Not the kind of line in the sand I would hope Guardiola would really want to cross

Have you considered the slightest possibility that the intervening years Pep has had away from the Barcelona bubble May have coloured his opinion of the club, and he might not care about his reputation with Barca fans as you would like to think? You forget the reasons why he left both Barcelona and Bayern were that he was constantly engaged in club politics. He has far more of a free hand in Manchester which is why he believe he is still here. In my humble opinion he has already stayed longer than he originally intended, and is considering staying longer. I also believe he has goals beyond Manchester City. He has already talked about managing in Italy, the U.S. and a National team. Whilst I’m not ruling a return to Barcelona one day, it could be a while off. Any haggling over Eric Garcia several years or more previously isn’t going to have a bearing.

Give your head a wobble. The feelings of Barcelona fans are not first and foremost for anybody other Barcelona fans.

 

[Nicholas van Whatsisface]

It's a lovely narrative but largely fiction but keep telling yourself that Barca will be relegated and be in line for food stamps shortly, esp. when Leo retires

I have no pain in this. I am thrilled for the pending return of one of our own. My only concern is for Pep's reputation to stay intact, it has been smeared too much by local fools long enough - a drawn out transfer for a player like Garcia would really push him even further from the club. Not the kind of line in the sand I would hope Guardiola would really want to cross

I think you might be overstating this as a factor mate.

Pep won’t be the one making the decisions on this, and I don’t think there is any appetite amongst the hierarchy at City (Txiki included) to do Barca any favours for sentimentality’s sake.

Despite the historic links between our Execs and Barca, there is no love lost between them and your current board - as you well know. Even Pep had a very public and angry pop at your club recently after the CAS result.

Definitely won’t have helped your case with the snide timing of the leak just before our game with Real Madrid either.

You’ll have to meet us closer to our valuation, or my sense is City will prove to be very awkward over this - historic links or not.

 

[Keeper!]

Sitting him out for a year would have negative consequences to Pep & Txiki - not just with Barca with whom there will always be a connection but each & every other youth player that considers a move to Etihad. Eric, is not Leroy either - he is not a disciplinary concern, it will appear punitive and that will have a cascading effect even to teammates

As I say, I cannot see a scenario where Pep & Txiki align to seriously consider the 'nuclear' option. I think it's part of the negotiating stance but I believe leverage is all with Barca this time

You have even managed to piss off the man who made you great, your president hiring a PR firm to dish the dirt on your greatest ever player, shameful