‘Agreement is very close’ – Barcelona on verge of announcing first signing for summer

Eric Garcia’s return to Barcelona has been far more dramatic than it probably should have been.

The Blaugrana tried to sign the Manchester City player during the last summer window, however, the Premier League club simply weren’t prepared to take a hugely reduced figure, regardless of the player’s contract situation.

Garcia’s deal at the Etihad expires at the end of the current season, and the defender made it clear a while ago that he would not be extending that contract. Pep Guardiola discussed the situation publicly, and it looked like Garcia could move to Barcelona during the winter market.

Given their ongoing presidential elections at the time, it was again too difficult to get a deal done, and Garcia is currently seeing out his City contract. Recent reports from the Catalan media have explained that the player’s original contract offer from Barcelona was torn up when Joan Laporta took over as president, and the new offer wasn’t as high.

That saw Garcia stall, but Marca now say an ‘agreement is very close’, and Barcelona will be able to make the signing official soon. A compromise has been found, which will see Garcia earn a lower basic salary than he was originally offered, yet earn more in bonuses.

Marca say the move is ‘imminent’ and will be Barca’s first deal of the summer.