Barcelona has officially announced its first signing of the season. Joan García’s arrival was a done deal since the club paid his release clause on Friday. The signing of the Espanyol goalkeeper means that some players will have to leave, but for now, Iñaki Peña has no destination and captain Marc-André Ter Stegen is in a complicated situation in which, for the moment, he remains firm about staying.
Joan García is now a reality
“FC Barcelona has activated the release clause of player Joan Garcia. The cost of the clause was $25 million plus CPI. This Friday, the player will sign a contract with Barça for the next six seasons, until June 30, 2031, in a private ceremony at the FC Barcelona offices,” the club announced on Wednesday. Joan García has shown undeniable talent in goal for Espanyol in both the First and Second Divisions. His good work has caught the attention of Europe’s biggest clubs and,
although it was not a priority, the fact that the player was open to moving to Camp Nou made it an opportunity too good to turn down for Barça, who last Friday paid the €25 million (€26.4 million with CPI) release clause after failing to negotiate with Espanyol, who remained firm throughout.
No way out for Iñaki Peña
The arrival of Joan García further fuels the need to offload Iñaki Peña, who has had a difficult season that has led him to seek a way out. The player saw his opportunity with Ter Stegen’s injury in September. Hansi Flick gave him the starting spot, while Barça moved to sign a goalkeeper, with Szczesny being the chosen one.
The Spanish goalkeeper is now ostracised and, although he has a year left on his contract, the club has encouraged him to look for a way out. As of today, he still has no destination. His salary is high and Celta and Valencia, the clubs that showed interest in the goalkeeper, are not in a position to take on that amount. A loan move is ruled out, so the only option is a transfer or for Barça to decide to terminate his contract to facilitate his departure.
Ter Stegen stands firm
“I always want to give my all and be on the pitch, and I will do everything I can to achieve that in the future and as long as I continue playing,” added the German. “I am very excited about next season. I think we can achieve a lot of success because we will have learned and the team has more experience.” That’s what Ter Stegen said a few weeks ago, making it clear that whatever happens, he is Barça’s goalkeeper. Now the arrival of Joan García is a reality, and he is a signing made to be a starter. In addition, Szczesny’s renewal is being finalized, so the commitment to both is clear and there is no place for Ter Stegen.
Although several clubs have emerged as interested in the player, the German’s idea is not to leave Barcelona, where he still has three years left on his contract. If the club decides to terminate his contract, he would not be cooperative, demanding every last cent of the $42 million he would be owed for those three years of his contract.