Barcelona have announced their first signing of the summer, with goalkeeper Joan Garcia arriving from rivals Espanyol. The Blaugrana activated his €25m release clause last Friday, and he bid farewell to Los Pericos earlier on Wednesday.
Garcia, 24, noted in his farwell video to Espanyol that he had thought long and hard about the decision, and made the decision based on what was best for the club, his family, himself and his career. All the same, he did not ask for understanding, and Espanyol did not show much, with a one-line statement confirming his release clause had been paid, which did not mention Barcelona.
#FCBarcelona have confirmed the signing of Joan Garcia.
— Football España (@footballespana_) June 18, 2025
Barcelona have signed Garcia to a six-year deal, which will keep him at the club until 2031. Their announcement states that the official signing will take place on Friday, when he will be presented to the media. He arrives after a season consolidating himself in the professional game, in which he was the best goalkeeper in La Liga. Manager Manolo Gonzalez and Sporting Director Fran Garagarza credited him with a significant role in their survival last summer.
Garcia only broke into the Espanyol side late last season, as he played a crucial part in their promotion to La Liga via the play-offs. Usurping the experienced Fernando Pacheco, Garcia has only made 67 senior appearances for Los Pericos, with another 17 for the B team. In the first team, Garcia kept 21 clean sheets and conceded 72 goals in those games.
Pau Cubarsí reacting to Barça's announcement post about Joan García.
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) June 18, 2025
Now Barcelona must find a way for Garcia to either coexist with current number one and captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen, or convince him to move on. The 33-year-old has three years left on his deal, and has so far been adamant that he will compete for the number one spot, despite assurances that it is Garcia’s to lose made to the new arrival.
