Barcelona make Man City starlet Eric Garcia top of three-man defensive shortlist as they eye cut-price transfer
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BARCELONA have made Manchester City star Eric Garcia their No1 defensive transfer target, according to reports.
The defender, 19, left the LaLiga giants in 2017 to move to the Etihad.
And the Catalans are determined to bring him back this summer, according to Spanish outlet .
Barca are also said to be keen on Bayern Munich's David Alaba and Paris Saint-Germain's Juan Bernat.
But they have reportedly prioritised the pursuit of City's young Spaniard.
Garcia has played 19 times for City in all competitions this season and even bagged an assist during their 3-0 League Cup victory over Preston in September.
Barca view the teen as the ideal long-term replacement for Gerard Pique.
But City are reluctant to lose the impressive youngster.
Negotiations over a new contract stalled due to the coronavirus pandemic but will resume again now the league season has finished.
He could treble his wages by penning a five-year deal worth £40,000-a-week plus bonuses.
But he may have second thoughts over staying should Barcelona come in for him.
When asked about Garcia’s future earlier this month, City boss Pep Guardiola outlined his desire to keep him.
He said: “He has one more year on his contract, if Barcelona want him they must call him.
“We are going to try convince him to stay here for many, many, many years.
“Yeah, I am confident he will stay, but in the end it is his decision.
“He knows we want him, but it was the same with Leroy [Sane].”
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Guardiola added: “We want him, but he doesn’t want to stay, we cannot do anything else.
“He knows, his agent knows, his family knows that we want him.
“If Barcelona want him, they have to call Txiki [Begiristain].”