Eric García has less than a year left on his contract at Manchester City and has informed the Citizens he will not sign a new deal at the Etihad.
Barcelona are interested in signing the centre-back this summer, which is likely behind the refusal to renew.
Sport reported on Wednesday the La Liga club hope to advance negotiations for his signing this week.
The Catalan side appointed Ronald Koeman as their new manager on Wednesday, and speaking to Zigoo TV in the Netherlands, he admitted it’s difficult to make five or six signings because “big clubs are suffering incredible loses”.
According to AS, García, Ajax’s Donny van de Beek and Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martínez are the three ‘priority’ targets for Koeman, and he wants to complete the signings ‘as soon as possible’.
Even before the former Everton manager’s arrival at Camp Nou, the report adds Barca had ‘set their sights’ on signing the City centre-back.
Pep Guardiola’s side have been demanding €23m plus €12m in variables to let the 19-year-old leave the Premier League club. Sport explained on Wednesday the La Liga side have no intention of meeting City’s demands for the Spain U21 international.
AS, however, state it’s not clear whether Barcelona will pay a fee or offer some of their players in exchange for García, or wait until next summer to sign him on a free transfer.
