Barcelona completed their first summer signing by acquiring goalkeeper Joan Garcia from city rivals Espanyol for €25 million, according to ESPN sources. The move could potentially force long-term captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen out of the club.
Garcia, 24, had attracted Premier League interest from Arsenal over the past year but chose to remain local. Sources told ESPN that Barcelona acted quickly because his release clause represented \"an incredible market opportunity.\"
The signing creates immediate tension in Barcelona\'s goalkeeping department. There is already a concerted push for ter Stegen to leave, though the 33-year-old Germany international remains determined to stay at the club.
Garcia was arguably LaLiga\'s best goalkeeper this season, leading the league with 145 saves and an 8.4 goals prevented rating. His performances kept Espanyol in the top flight by just two points.
\"I think he\'s been the best goalkeeper in LaLiga this season and he has a great future ahead of him,\" said Wojciech Szczesny after Barcelona\'s title-clinching match at Espanyol.
Garcia\'s save success rate of 73.6% significantly outperformed Barcelona\'s current options. Szczesny recorded 63.6%, Inaki Pena 65.5%, and ter Stegen just 58.3% in limited appearances.
Ter Stegen faces pressure to seek playing time ahead of the 2026 World Cup but insists he will remain at Barcelona. The German goalkeeper has a contract through 2028 and is owed approximately €10 million per year in deferred wages from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Barcelona\'s defensive struggles were evident in Champions League elimination to Inter Milan, where the club conceded 24 goals in 14 European matches. The signing addresses a position of need while creating uncertainty about the club\'s goalkeeping hierarchy.
Via Sam Marsden/ESPN