Koeman reveals he 'told the Barcelona board he needed a signing'

Ronald Koeman reveals he ‘told the Barcelona board he needed a signing’ in January after cash-strapped giants failed to stump up the fee for Man City centre back Eric Garcia as he admits defence is weaker due to injuries

  • Ronald Koeman says he told Barcelona’s board he needed a signing last month 
  • The Catalans failed to land Manchester City defender Eric Garcia 
  • The centre back is expected to complete a free transfer in the summer
  • But Koeman wanted to strengthen his squad amid a number of injuries 

Ronald Koeman has revealed he told Barcelona’s board he needed to add to his squad last month after the LaLiga side failed to stump up the fee for Manchester City centre back Eric Garcia.

The defender has long been linked with a move back to the Nou Camp and Koeman wanted to sign the 20-year-old in January, with Barca short of options at the back. 

The cash-strapped Catalans were unable to meet City’s £2.65m asking price, meaning Garcia’s move will have to wait until the summer when he becomes a free agent. 


Ronald Koeman (left) has revealed he told the Barcelona board he needed a signing last month after they failed to stump up the cash for Manchester City defender Eric Garcia (right)

‘I told the club that we needed a signing, but I respect any decision,’ Koeman said, as quoted by Marca. 

‘I do not speak after the past. I was talking to them for a moment, but I respect the decision of the club, because of the economic issue. We continue with what we have.

‘But, with the casualties and the bad luck of our injuries, we lack defenders, we lack forcefulness, we have not reinforced what we needed. Due to injuries we have lowered our performance in defence.’

The centre back is likely to complete his move in the summer when his contract expires

Barca have been missing Gerard Pique through injury since November with Ronald Araujo coming into partner Clement Lenglet in the centre of defence.

However, a sprained ankle kept Araujo out of Barca’s Copa del Rey defeat by Sevilla with in mid-week and Koeman said he would not be fit for the weekend clash with Alaves tonight.

‘Ronald Araujo? He is injured,’ the manager added.

The Catalans have been hit by a defensive crisis with Ronald Araujo the latest to get injured

‘If there is a moment that he can be fit, we talk and we decide, but it is always important to know the risk for any player. Tomorrow he will not play and we will see on Monday and Tuesday.’

Koeman confirmed that the club would sign Garcia in the summer if they were unable to agree a deal last month with the defender unlikely to sign another contract at the Etihad.

He has made just three appearances in the Premier League, three in the Champions League and three more in other cup competitions. 




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