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Ronald Koeman was refreshingly honest this weekend in discussing Barcelona’s options in upcoming transfer markets.
He said Barcelona are still interested in Liverpool’s Georginio Wijnaldium, Lyon’s Memphis Depay and also Manchester City defender Eric Garcia.
And he also acknowledged that Lionel Messi still wants to leave the Camp Nou, after reluctantly agreeing to stay this season having initially declared his intention to leave.
Crucially, Koeman said that no player can go in without some exits. That’s where City can come in and help.
The Blues were strong in their stance on Garcia this summer: if Barça did not meet their assessment, they would not sell. Even at the risk of Garcia leaving for free in June, City kept their word and refused to give up even £ 2 million below the figure they wanted.
Barcelona could return in January, says Koeman, depending on his finances, such is his admiration for the young central defender. His valuation will clearly be much lower, but City could still recoup some of its investment in Garcia since he joined from La Masia and has moved up through the CFA to become a first-team option for Pep Guardiola.
Selling Garcia would also allow City to put some sell clauses in the deal, depending on how Garcia fares in Barcelona. It seems that he is designated as a long-term option at the back of Barca, but that does not mean that they still cannot benefit from his success if he signs for them.
Of course, City would prefer to stick with Garcia if injuries hit defense again, but a move in January could be a decent compromise for all parties.
Speaking of commitment, Garcia isn’t the only player without a contract in the summer, at risk of moving in for free at the end of his contract.
So could Koeman’s admission that Messi is still determined to leave Camp Nou persuade Barca bosses to allow him to leave in January?
Some reports claim that Messi could be available for as little as £ 15 million, a deal that would surely be even more extraordinary than signing the world’s best player on a free transfer.
Of course, Barça could have the same opinion as City: their player is worth more throughout the season than accepting any agreement at a reduced price. That’s especially true for Messi, who will be key to any hope of success in La Liga or Champions.
However, that will not stop City from dreaming, and they have already said they are in a position to sign Messi. If they are in talks with Barca about any moves for Garcia, perhaps a blatant offer by Messi to test his transfer resolve is worth trying.
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