Surprise exit could leave Barcelona this week for La Liga rival

Barcelona have been looking to move out a number of players this summer, but their next departure may well come from an unexpected area.

According to Sport, defender Eric Garcia could leave the club this week, as he searches for first-team football. After a season where he became a bit-part player in the Barcelona defence, he is aware that he needs to kickstart his career this season for face another campaign in limbo, with Jules Kounde, Andreas Christensen and Ronald Araujo a long way ahead of him in the pecking order – Inigo Martinez is due to join the club by all accounts too.

As such, he is considering a loan move away from the club, and seemingly Real Betis are interested in being his destination. Sporting Director Ramon Planes brought Garcia to Barcelona, and thinks he could play an important role. Manuel Pellegrini has lost veteran central defender Victor Ruiz this summer.

Garcia is set to make a decision in the coming days, and if he is to leave the Blaugrana this summer, is open to doing so ahead of Barcelona’s preseason tour of the USA.

There is little doubt that Garcia’s position is less than assured in defence, and the experiments playing him in midfield at the end of last season were evidence of that too. At the age of 22, it is by no means a major crossroads in his career, but looking at the central defenders Barcelona have in place, it could be some time before he gains significant game time.