This winter, Paris Saint-Germain has a chance of being one of the players in the transfer window. The capital club made some adjustments last summer (Lucas Chevalier and Illia Zabarnyi replaced Gianluigi Donnarumma and Presnel Kimpembe), but it chose to keep most of a group which won everything last season. A decision now called into question. And for several weeks, the Catalan press has ensured that Paris has an eye on the FC Barcelona squad. The reigning European champions would be very interested in the profile of Eric Garcia.
The Blaugrana defender is now 24 years old and has made 15 appearances (1 goal) this season under Hansi Flick. With 9 starts in 11 La Liga matches, Garcia is one of the elements most used by the German coach. However, he is not the most publicized player of the Culés, but his profile as a hardworking and reliable player is attractive. Here are some details to find out a little more about this defender that Luis Enrique knows very well. Trained at the Masia which he joined in 2008, Éric Garcia subsequently joined another Blaugrana at heart: Pep Guardiola. In 2017, Garcia joined Manchester City at the age of 16 to continue his training there. He played for the Cityzens until 2021 and after 35 matches played in three years, the young Spaniard decided not to extend his contract to return to Barça free of any contract.
Garcia owes a lot to Luis Enrique
Back home, the Barcelona native finally managed to establish himself in his training club despite a loan to Girona during the 2023/2024 season. And if Luis Enrique has an eye on him, it’s because Eric Garcia has several advantages. In addition to being free from any contract next June and therefore being available at a lower cost, Garcia is an element who owes his 19 selections for the Spanish team to the PSG coach. Called up between 2020 and 2022 by Luis Enrique, Éric Garcia has not reappeared since with La Roja. The Parisian coach therefore knows him perfectly well having had him under his command. Unsurprisingly, Garcia’s profile appeals to the Red and Blues, because he has one of the essential qualities appreciated by Luis Enrique.
“If I had to talk about Éric García, I would say that he corresponds to the typical profile of a player trained at La Masía. He is technically excellent, very good at clearing the ball and generally very well placed. He helps the team have more possession and get the ball out from the back, which Araujo doesn’t do well.explains our colleague from Fichajes.comIvan Vargas. A technical quality which allows the native of Ciudad Condal to be able to tick another box dear to Luis Enrique: versatility. “This is one of the main reasons why he can also play in midfield in case of absences. He has a very good touch on the ball and a lot of qualities. In addition, he is capable of getting into the opposing area and knows how to be opportunistic on set balls. He is right-footed, he has even sometimes played as a right-back, but he can play on the left without any problem.continues Vargas.
A technical profile, but not very physical
Garcia still has some weak points. A 1m82 player, the Catalan is not the most powerful defender. Clearly, this is not a Willan Pacho client. A physical deficit that Toni Kroos had identified when debriefing on his podcast the Clasico lost to Real Madrid last month. “In central defense, I don’t understand why Éric Garcia played, he who, technically speaking, is slightly better than Araújo. But Araújo has the physical power to press his opponents more, especially when defending so high. He would have been the ideal player for this style of play and this opponent. Frankly, I don’t understand. Facing Mbappé and Vinícius, you need someone capable of keeping up with their pace. Araújo is capable of it. His absence surprised me a lot.”
Is the Blaugrana really the profile to target for PSG? At a time when the succession of Marquinhos is an issue, should Paris rely on a defender who is more technical than physical? For Ivan Vargas, there is no doubt about it. “I think he would fit in perfectly at PSG. The main argument is clear: Éric García is the ideal defender for the game Luis Enrique is looking for, as he was one of his starters when he managed Spain. Luis Enrique knows better than anyone what Eric can bring and Eric knows perfectly what Luis Enrique is looking for in a central defender. This is what is said.
